Animism: Respecting the Living World


Graham Harvey - 2005
    He considers the varieties of animism found in these cultures as well as their shared desire to live respectfully within larger natural communities. Drawing on his extensive casework, Harvey also considers the linguistic, performative, ecological, and activist implications of these different animisms.

Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World


Dalai Lama XIV - 2011
    Now, in Beyond Religion, the Dalai Lama, at his most compassionate and outspoken, elaborates and deepens his vision for the nonreligious way. Transcending the mere “religion wars,” he outlines a system of ethics for our shared world, one that gives full respect to religion. With the highest level of spiritual and intellectual authority, the Dalai Lama makes a stirring appeal for what he calls a “third way,” a path to an ethical and happy life and to a global human community based on understanding and mutual respect. Beyond Religion is an essential statement from the Dalai Lama, a blueprint for all those who may choose not to identify with a religious tradition, yet still yearn for a life of spiritual fulfillment as they work for a better world.

The Wisdom of Wolves: Lessons From the Sawtooth Pack


Jim Dutcher - 2018
    In this book the Dutchers reflect on the virtues they observed in wolf society and behavior. Each chapter exemplifies a principle, such as kindness, teamwork, playfulness, respect, curiosity, and compassion. Their heartfelt stories combine into a thought-provoking meditation on the values shared between the human and the animal world. Occasional photographs bring the wolves and their behaviors into absorbing focus.

The Mind of the Soul: Responsible Choice


Gary Zukav - 1994
    Here, Gary Zukav, author of the monumental bestseller The Seat of the Soul, joins his spiritual partner, Linda Francis, in a revolutionary look at the power of choice to change lives from the inside out.The Mind of the Soul describes with easy-to-read text and practical exercises how each moment in life presents a choice: whether to persist in old, limited patterns or to experiment with the unbounded, liberating potential ahead. Whether your choices are large -- concerning work, marriage, parenting, divorce -- or appear small, such as whether to show annoyance when angry, they carry consequences for which you must assume responsibility. The Mind of the Soul shows you how, in every situation, one choice among the many that present themselves is the optimal choice -- to create harmony, cooperation, or reverence for life. This special book offers the freedom to experiment with your life, to see what does or doesn't work for you, to change yourself instead of blaming others -- in short, to open your heart and develop authentic power. With the same sensitivity that made The Heart of the Soul: Emotional Awareness so meaningful, Zukav and Francis guide you, step by step, in developing the ability to break free of the unconscious choices that hold you back and limit your fulfillment in life.

A Little History of Religion


Richard Holloway - 2016
    Richard Holloway retells the entire history of religion—from the dawn of religious belief to the twenty-first century—with deepest respect and a keen commitment to accuracy. Writing for those with faith and those without, and especially for young readers, he encourages curiosity and tolerance, accentuates nuance and mystery, and calmly restores a sense of the value of faith. Ranging far beyond the major world religions of Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism, Holloway also examines where religious belief comes from, the search for meaning throughout history, today’s fascinations with Scientology and creationism, religiously motivated violence, hostilities between religious people and secularists, and more. Holloway proves an empathic yet discerning guide to the enduring significance of faith and its power from ancient times to our own.