Spiritual Traditions

In this initiatory guide to the hermetic art of alchemy, artist Marlene Seven Bremner reveals how the alchemical opus, the Great Work, offers a practical means for liberating the authentic creator within and attaining gnosis, or true self-knowledge. Exploring the connections between Surrealism and alchemy, as well as the rich and complicated symbolism of alchemical art, Bremner elucidates how both Surrealism and alchemy seek to unfetter the imagination and dissolve the boundaries between dream and reality, thus reconciling the conscious and unconscious minds.

Beyond Virtue Ethics offers a distinctive approach to virtue ethics, arguing not simply for the importance of "struggle" to virtue ethics, but that "struggle" itself is a manifestation of virtue. In doing this, Stephen M. Meawad offers a way of thinking about virtue not simply as a perfected state, but as a state that is to a greater or lesser degree a manifestation of the ideal itself, which is not attainable.

In our complex modern world, it can be easy to doubt we’re living the life we’re meant to be living. But the authors of the global bestseller Ikigai, about the Japanese concept that has helped millions of people discover their reason for being, are now on a mission to show how the ancient Hindu concept of purushartha provides a powerful framework for charting a path toward a life of purpose and fulfillment.

Many of us navigating the years beyond midlife report high levels of self-acceptance, freedom, and joy, but there can also be bouts of second-guessing and regret as well as the occasional longing to be reminded that you’re not in this alone. Designed to be listened to weekly in two-year cycles, the 120 timeless readings in this book focus on the issues and concerns that arise among those who view aging as a path to spiritual culmination.

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.

Cuneiform texts found on clay plates in Mesopotamia tell us about an extraterrestrial race, called the Anunnaki, who came from space to exploit our planet. Through genetic manipulation, they created modern humans from existing earthly life forms to serve them as slaves. They physically left our planet millennia ago, but as Jan Erik Sigdell reveals, their influence and control over humanity is still pervasive and significant.

In the realm of African spiritual pathways, no tradition is so widely embraced and practiced as the West African religion Orisa. Awakened by her own spiritual journey, Tobe Melora Correal, an initiated priestess in the Yoruba-Lukumi branch of Orisa, guides us along this blessed road. Finding Soul on the Path of Orisa provides a fresh look at these ancient teachings and emphasizes introspection and inner work over the outward manifestations of Orisa's practices.

Preparing for Eternity presents an objective contrast between the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church and the word of God. It is an excellent discipleship manual for Roman Catholics who have not discovered the narrow road that leads to eternal life.

The year 2012 marked the birth of a new cycle of time that will last for the next 26,000 years. In charge of such birth is the Great Mother, the eternal source of all creation. She is calling on the feminine within us all to create a world worthy of the next seven generations and begin an era of peace, abundance, and spiritual evolution. To birth this new world, we must release our hold on old destructive patterns and instead embrace the divine feminine qualities of intuition, powerful creativity, and rhythmic renewal.

Explores the background and sexual magical beliefs of Paschal Beverly Randolph, Ida Craddock, Aleister Crowley, Maria de Naglowska, Austin Osman Spare, Julius Evola, Franz Bardon, Jack Parsons, William S. Burroughs, Marjorie Cameron, Anton LaVey, and Genesis P-Orridge.

Sharing her more than 15 years of compelling research—including analysis of Sylvia Plath’s unpublished calendars, notebooks, scrapbooks, book annotations, and underlinings as well as published memoirs, biographies, letters, journals, and interviews with Plath and her husband, friends, and family—Plath scholar Julia Gordon-Bramer reveals Sylvia Plath’s enduring interest and active practice in mysticism and the occult from childhood until her tragic death in 1963

Every day we have an inner battle going on between two parts of ourselves: our ego and our soul. When we view the world through our ego lens, life can seem tragic, random, meaningless, and painful. When viewed from our soul’s perspective, we find divine order and soul agreements in every event of our lives. In this guide to aligning with your soul and seeing life through a divine lens, Sue Frederick presents mindful practices and spiritual tools to shift your perspective and step into your power.

They believed they would live forever. So begins Mira Ptacin's haunting account of the women of Camp Etna - an otherworldly community in the woods of Maine that has, since 1876, played host to generations of Spiritualists and mediums dedicated to preserving the links between the mortal realm and the afterlife. Beginning her narrative in 1848 with two sisters who claimed they could speak to the dead, Ptacin reveals how Spiritualism first blossomed into a national practice during the Civil War, yet continues - even thrives - to this very day.

The golden traditions of Christmas—gifts, wreaths, stockings, carols, mistletoe, and more—infuse your celebration of the season with meaning and glowing memories. And, in ways you may not realize, they also point you to the birth of Christ. Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas reveals the people, places, and events that shaped the best-loved customs of this merriest of holidays.

In this audio edition of her book Wisdom Walk, Sage Bennet beautifully outlines the central rituals and teachings from nine of the world's great spiritual traditions, making them accessible without diminishing them, while exploring the essential beliefs of each tradition. Wisdom Walk provides a simple, easy-to-follow guide for bringing the world’s spiritual traditions into your own life through practical, powerful rituals.

The son of a Jewish father and Baptist mother, Paul Wilbur grew up attending synagogue. In college, he was transformed by a Baptist minister's teaching about a rabbi, Jesus, who fulfilled the promise of the Torah. As he grew in his relationship with Jesus, Wilbur was reintroduced to the God of the Old Testament and began exploring his Jewish heritage. Along the way, he discovered the power of Jewish worship traditions - the weekly Shabbat, with the power of Holy Communion and dedication to family, along with other high holy traditions and feast days.

Maat is an ancient Egyptian goddess who represents truth, justice, and balance. She is often associated with the concept of Maat, which is the principle of truth, order, justice, and balance in the Universe. Followers of Maat believe that it is our responsibility to uphold these principles in our own lives and in the world around us.

Organized by season, Rituals for Magic and Meaning offers a suggested ceremony for each day of the year and includes hundreds of simple rites, suggestions, meditations, and holiday celebrations that can make the ordinary extraordinary. Author Cerridwen Greenleaf has poured her years of study into this guide to creating meaning in daily life. Rituals for Magic and Meaning fully explores the hows and whys behind ritual - allowing listeners to truly master the art of creating personalized rituals.

The Mystic Heart chronicled Brother Wayne Teasdale's journey into a multifaceted spirituality blending his traditional Catholic training and the Eastern way of sannyasa (Indian monkhood). A Monk in the World tells what the journey has meant for him - living as a monk outside the monastery, integrating teachings from the world's religions with his own Catholic training, combining his vigorous spiritual practice with the necessities of making a living, and pursuing a course of social justice in a major American city.

Exploring these questions and more, David Barreto presents a deep investigation into the spiritual evolution of the animal kingdom, from ants and cockroaches to cats, dogs, owls, pigeons, dolphins, and whales. He examines the spiritual anatomy of animals, including their aura, etheric fields, chakras, and mental, astral, and buddhic bodies.