Revised edition printed in India.

    In an effort to help those who've been hurt by or turned off by negative religion, Martin Thielen explains that there is an alternative to abandoning religion: good religion. Thielen uses personal stories to illustrate the dangers of religion that is judgmental, anti-intellectual, and legalistic. While addressing the growth of the new atheism movement and the "Nones" (people that have no religious affiliation), this book argues that leaving religion is not practical, not helpful, and not necessary. Thielen provides counterparts to the characteristics of bad religion, explaining that good religion is grace-filled, promotes love and forgiveness, and is inclusive and hope-filled. Perfect for individual, group, or congregational study, a Leader's Guide and a Worship and Outreach Kit are also available to further the discussion and increase community involvement.

    They promised themselves and each other that every day would be an amazing day. They even stuck that phrase--"Amazing Days"--on their refrigerator, like Martin Luther pounding his conviction into a door and launching the next great era of the church. "Ready or not," they told the world, "here we come." They traveled the planet, doing missions and community development work in Latin America, China, Africa. Then they went back home--to the land of shopping malls and manicured lawns. And they wondered what had become of their amazing days. InThis Ordinary Adventure Adam and Christine Jeske mine their experience, from riding motorcycles in Africa to dicing celery in Wisconsin, in search of a God who is always present and who is charging every moment with potential. Read along and you'll see your life--your ruts and routines, your frustrations and exhilarations--through different eyes, maybe for the first time. You'll discover the amazing things God is doing in the shadows of even the most ordinary day.

    It is a meditation on the infinite love of God and the infinite value of the human individual. Not only are we in God's hands, says Desmond Tutu, our names are engraved on the palms of God's hands. Throughout an often turbulent life, Archbishop Tutu has fought for justice and against oppression and prejudice. As we learn in this book, what has driven him forward is an unshakeable belief that human beings are created in the image of God and are infinitely valuable. Each one of us is a God-carrier, a tabernacle, a sanctuary of the Divine Trinity. God loves us not because we are loveable but because he first loved us. And this turns our values upside down. In this sense, the Gospel is the most radical thing imaginable.It is extremely moving that in this book Archbishop Tutu returns to something so simple and so profound after a life in which he has been involved in political, social, and ethical issues that have seemed to be so very complex.

    It is an English translation of the same book in Bengali.Founder of the renowned Ramakrishna Mission, Swami Vivekananda reconciled religion with scientific enquiry. He emphasised on inculcating, within one's self, an unwavering faith and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. He never propagated blind belief and was a successful ambassador of India's spiritual side to the west.Swami Vivekananda was also a mystic who traveled extensively, and on these journeys, which were no less than epiphanies to him, he came face to face with the stark poverty of India, which affected him deeply and defined him as a man. It turned him into a champion of the cause of the poor and made him a role model philanthropist.We are all aware of these aspects of the Swami's life. Numerous books have been written about him by his brothers, disciples, and students, and by those who simply knew him and benefited by interacting with him. Swami himself wrote various letters and gave speeches, which also serve as a peek in to his life and endeavours.Keeping all these aspects into account and indulging further into his history, Sankar has attempted to chronicle the lesser talked aspect of his life - Swami Vivekananda as a human being - in his book The Monk As Man: The Unknown Life.Journeying through the pages of these books, readers will be confronted with the tumultuous family ties of his life and his relationship with his mother will be brought to light. After Swami Vivekananda cut all family ties and set out on his mission, his brothers never as much as bothered to enquire after him. Why so? Also, as the rumours go, did Swami's sister really kill herself? Did the tedious disputes over matters of family property affect Swami's health and psychology to the point of taking a toll on his life?All these questions that had never been associ

    Debt-ridden and marked by the mafia, this is the only way he can secure his family's future and atone for all the rotten choices he has made in his life. This extraordinary situation comes by way of his grandfather Fali's last Will that states Rustom shall inherit the family fortune if he kills himself in a public place with the former's eponymous gun.Before he has a chance to shoot himself his best friend Mani convinces him to meet an unlikely saviour in the Himalayan town of Almora - a drugged-out godman belting out strange visions through cryptic stories of love, power and loyalty. Will the last storyteller give Rustom a reason to live, or will his tales push Rustom further into an abyss of unimaginable loss?By turns, dark and humorous, quirky and dead serious, Rustom and the Last Storyteller of Almora is a scintillating debut about a man ready to embrace death to redeem his life.

    These profound teachings point the way to love, peace, bliss and freedom, encouraging a transformation of consciousness and spiritual awakening.

    Wurmbrand languished for fourteen years in Communist prisons. Though beaten and starved, he never broke. Having passed through hell on earth, this courageous Romanian pastor emerged with a burning love for God and his fellow man.In this remarkable book, conceived while he was in solitary confinement, Wurmbrand demolishes the arguments for atheism as presented by the Soviet Academy of Science in its Atheist's Handbook. Throughout the Communist world, people who wanted to get ahead had to master The Atheist's Handbook. Its teachings were drilled into children at school. But Wurmbrand demonstrates that the atheist creed leaves more questions unanswered than it professes to settle. On the positive side, he marshals the testimony of artists, musicians, writers, philosophers, scientists, statesmen, and saints--all of whom bear eloquent witness to the reality of God. With the sparkling sense of humor that helped sustain him through unspeakable sufferings, Wurmbrand tells the story of God's love for us in language anyone can understand. Is there a God? Does He care about man? Can we trust what the Scriptures tell us about Him? Yes, says Rev. Richard Wurmbrand, in a ringing affirmation of faith that comes from the heart--and from the head.

    In The Tibetan Book of Meditation, Lama Christie McNally demonstrates that meditation also provides a much greater gift. It awakens our innate potential to shape our reality, to make moments of joy last forever, and to bring us the peace and contentment that we all ultimately seek. Written in an instructional yet intimate style, the author guides readers through a progression of meditations, from the simple concept of compassion to the transformative concept of emptiness. Teaching technique and content at the same time, this book is unique in its comprehensive approach and will find a special place in the hearts of novice and experienced meditators alike. Christie McNally, a renowned master teacher and lecturer who has studied with some of the greatest Indian, Tibetan, and western Buddhist masters, explains the central tenets of Buddhism and reveals how they apply to everyday life. Combining ancient wisdom and contemporary teachings, she leads readers along the path to a richer, fuller life through resonant examples and eye-opening insights.Her engaging tone and fresh approach to the art of meditation will appeal to followers of Pema Chödrön and to readers of Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, and Jon Kabat-Zinn. This down-to-earth guide to meditation brings the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism to a new generation.

    The Iyengar method integrates philosophy, spirituality, and the practice of yoga into everyday living. In The Tree of Yoga, Iyengar offers his thoughts on many practical and philosophical subjects including family life, love and sexuality, health and the healing arts, meditation, death, and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. This new edition features a foreword by Patricia Walden, a leading American teacher of the Iyengar style.

    Instead, she’s an ex-nanny yogini-wannabe who cranks out “For Idiots” travel guides. True, she has a sexy photographer boyfriend, but he’s usually off shooting a dogsled race in Alaska or a vision quest in Peru–or just hooking up with other girls. However, she’s sure her new assignment to the ashrams of India will change everything.What she finds, though, is an ashram run by investment bankers, a model-obsessed guru, tantra parties, and silent retreats. India, it turns out, is not the spiritual refuge she’d pictured. But when a wandering mystic offers her an enigmatic blessing, Amanda realizes a new life may be in store for her after all.

    Reveals the stories of the deathless masters, the siddhas Agastyar and Boganathar, who belonged to the '18 Siddha Tradition', famous among the Tamil speaking people of southern India and Babaji, the immortal master made famous by Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi.

    Sri Sri brought to light the profound wisdom contained in Patanjali's Sanskrit passages. The audience was a group of course participants tucked in Weggis, Switzerland. Amidst the bliss of so much knowledge, somebody had the awareness to record those precious talks. This book is a compilation of talks from the session.

    Follow Five Generations of One Remarkable Indian Family on a Quest for Enlightenment.

    Too often we find that we aren’t able to control our lives, control the events that go on, or even control the people and how they act. But with Stoicism, we learn that we can control some things, such as our emotions and our reactions, and this can help to lead us to happiness.In this guidebook we are going to learn the basics of using Stoicism in your daily life and how this ancient philosophy is going to work to make you feel happier. Some of the things that we will talk about include: What is Stoicism Recognizing the things that are under your control How to conform to your own reality Understanding how your emotions work The importance of freedom of will. Learning how to be calm when there is adversity around Learning how to make the best of all situations How to use stoicism in order to make your life better How to use the process of neuroplasticity to change around your mind and how you react to things. How to use affirmations to help with stoicism Simple ideas to implement some of the stoic philosophy into your daily life. When you are ready to find the true happiness that belongs to you and bring some of the Stoic ideas into your life, make sure to read through this guidebook and learn just how great it can be to live the Stoic way of life. Grab your copy and start living the stoic life today.