The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity
Seyyed Hossein Nasr - 2002
In the case of Islam, there has been much recent confusion in the Western world centered on distorted portrayals of its core values. Born of ignorance, such confusion feeds the very problem at hand.In The Heart of Islam one of the great intellectual figures in Islamic history offers a timely presentation of the core spiritual and social values of Islam: peace, compassion, social justice, and respect for the other. Seizing this unique moment in history to reflect on the essence of his tradition, Seyyed Hossein Nasr seeks to "open a spiritual and intellectual space for mutual understanding." Exploring Islamic values in scripture, traditional sources, and history, he also shows their clear counterparts in the Jewish and Christian traditions, revealing the common ground of the Abrahamic faiths.Nasr challenges members of the world's civilizations to stop demonizing others while identifying themselves with pure goodness and to turn instead to a deeper understanding of those shared values that can solve the acute problems facing humanity today. "Muslims must ask themselves what went wrong within their own societies," he writes, "but the West must also pose the same question about itself . . . whether we are Muslims, Jews, Christians, or even secularists, whether we live in the Islamic world or in the West, we are in need of meaning in our lives, of ethical norms to guide our actions, of a vision that would allow us to live at peace with each other and with the rest of God's creation." Such help, he believes, lies at the heart of every religion and can lead the followers of the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) as well as other religious and spiritual traditions to a new future of mutual respect and common global purpose.The Heart of Islam is a landmark presentation of enduring value that offers hope to humanity, and a compelling portrait of the beauty and appeal of the faith of 1.2 billion people.
City Dharma: Keeping Your Cool in the Chaos
Arthur Jeon - 2004
But it doesn't have to be this way. In City Dharma, Arthur Jeon suggests that it’s not what happens to us, but how we react to events and thoughts that causes most of our suffering.City Dharma is the essential guide for everyone living in the accelerated world most of us call home. Offering smart, practical ways to overcome daily stresses and the crazy-making reactivity of our own minds, Jeon explores the most challenging aspects of modern urban and suburban life, including:Another Day, Another DollarAvoid Working StiffnessWalking Down a Dark AlleyAwareness and Violence Sex and the City DharmaSeeking Love vs. Expressing LoveScaring Ourselves to DeathTranscending Media NegativityRoad RageDealing with Mad Max Within and WithoutDrawing wisdom from the ancient Eastern teachings of Advaita Vedanta and filled with engaging stories, City Dharma offers a new way of seeing the world--one that is based on connection rather than separation, direct experience rather than belief, and love instead of fear.From the Hardcover edition.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam
Yahiya Emerick - 2001
Explains the history, doctrines, and beliefs of the Islamic faith; outlines the life and philophies of Muhammad; describes Islamic contributions to the arts and sciences; and describes its rituals, prayers, and holidays.
Flowers On The Path
Sadhguru - 2007
It comprises articles created by Sadhguru for the Speaking Tree column of the Times of India. These articles have, for many years, brought daily infusions of beauty, humor, clarity and wisdom into lives abraded by mayhem and monotony.
Spiritual Warrior: The Art of Spiritual Living
John-Roger - 1997
Full of wisdom, humor, common sense, and hands-on tools for spiritual living and loving, this book offers practical tips for countering negative habits and destructive relationships, and living more successfully each day. For information about the movie Spiritual Warriors, produced by John-Roger, D.S.S., and JSU Garcia, please visit www.spiritualwarriors.com or email henryv@earthlink.net or jsu@msia.org.
Integral Christianity: The Spirit's Call to Evolve
Paul R. Smith - 2011
The perspectives of integral theory and practice, articulated by Ken Wilber, help uncover the integral approach that Jesus advocated and demonstrated in the metaphors of his time and that traditional Christianity has largely been unable to see. Smith incorporates elements of traditional, modern, and postmodern theological viewpoints, including progressive, New Thought, and emerging/emergent ones. However, he goes beyond all of them and moves to a Christianity that is devoted to following both the historical Jesus and the Risen Christ whose Spirit beckons to us from the future. Smith says, "The oldest thing you can say about God is that God is always doing something new. Jesus pushed his own religion to newness by including the best of its past, and transcending the worst of its present. He calls us to do the same, whatever our religion is today."
The In-Between Place: Where Jesus Changes Your Story
Kat Armstrong - 2021
But what do we do when challenges stop our forward momentum? What’s the next step when we fall into a pit of despair with the determination knocked right out of us? On his way from Judea to Galilee, Jesus traveled through Samaria, a broken place everyone knew to avoid. In Samaria he stopped in Shechem, where evil had gained such a foothold of power that it eventually reigned. Yet the place once condemned as somewhere no one wanted to visit—let alone hang out in for a while—was the location of one Samaritan woman’s most hope-filled encounter with the Savior. The In-Between Place offers deeply important insights to anyone who feels stuck and can’t see a way forward. It is for the person who feels that if she looks left, her face will be scraped by an immovable boulder, and if she looks right, she’ll see nothing but hard to handle. It’s for the person who feels lost and is not sure she is worth the effort to be found, for the person who feels overlooked and unfulfilled. Because sometimes Jesus saves our greatest spiritual breakthroughs for our in-between places.
Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional: 366 Devotionals
John Baker - 2013
The Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional is an original daily devotional based on the Celebrate Recovery program and written by the co-founder and two other Celebrate Recovery leaders, featuring 366 devotions for inspiration and encouragement.
A Blessed Olive Tree: A Spiritual Journey in Twenty Short Stories
Zain Hashmi - 2017
Simple fables in easy language but with deep underlying morals. Each story comes with a beautiful hand drawn illustration.A Blessed Olive Tree is a series of short stories that will take you on a spiritual journey. It begins by exploring the reason for our existence, and then it moves on to highlight the reasoning behind the five pillars of Islam. After touching upon "Shariah" (the religious law), you will enter the land of "Tariqa" (the mystical path) to explore love, loving, and being loved. You will then come across "Haqiqa" (the truth), and find answers to some of the queries in your mind. You will finally experience the land of "Marifa" (gnosis), and catch a glimpse of the ultimate connection with the Divine. This entire journey is covered in twenty simple short stories."A sufi literary masterpiece" (Muslim revert and author Adam Hafiz, UK)"Truly a treasure"(Ayanna, Reviewer on Goodreads, USA)"A wise book"(Manar, #7 top reviewer on Goodreads, Iraq)"perfect for teaching younger readers, and reminder for older readers"(Khurram Alavi, #10 best reviewer on Goodreads, UK)"So inspiring for all Muslims and non Muslims."(Fatima Haleem, #17 best reviewer on Goodreads, Iraq)"All short stories are based on Islamic facts and taking roots from Quran"(Necmi Coban, #45 top reader on Goodreads, Turkey)"...gave a very deep impact to my heart.It has been long since I felt so at ease with myself and my thoughts changed."(Sizarifalina Ali, #30 best reviewer on Goodreads, Malaysia)"After almost each story I felt warmth in my heart"(Arezoo Alipanah, #99 top reader on Goodreads, Iran)"The sequence...oh this is genius."(Shabrina Fadhila, Reviewer on Goodreads, Indonesia)"...each story containing heartfelt lessons of hope, faith, struggle, success and happiness."(Phi T. Waani, #83 best reviewer on Goodreads, Pakistan)"An exceptional read that was"(Tarik Mahtab, #72 best reviewer on Goodreads, Bangladesh)"Reading this book feels like reading a fairy tale 1001 nights!"(Arvia Maharhani, #53 best reviewer on Goodreads, Indonesia)"Metaphorical stories feeding one's spirit with faith"(Rabbia Riaz, #39 best reviewer on Goodreads, Pakistan)"I was taken on a journey which became more enjoyable with each turn of the page."(Saima, Reviewer on Goodreads USA)"...help Muslims and non-Muslims to understand Islam better"(Aya, #41 best reviewer on Goodreads, Egypt)"...told in a fun way that doesn't require reading huge volumes of religious texts"(Hafsa, #17 best reviewer on Goodreads, Kenya)"...this book came as a ray of sunshine or noor in these devastating times."(Nafisa Tarannum, #46 top reviewer on Goodreads Bangladesh)"This was good, great, interesting, Charmin, magical"(Abdel Rahman Amin, #75 top reviewer on Goodreads, Egypt)"This is indeed a metaphorical masterpiece"(Ain Mc, Reviewer on Goodreads Malaysia)
Surfer's Code: Twelve Simple Lessons For Riding Through Life
Shaun Tomson - 2006
For Tomson, surfing is a hobby, a sport, a religion, an obsession and more-it is a way of life. Tomson's life lessons have guided his career to the top of both professional competition and the world of business. Now, he shares these powerful lessons, born on the world's best swells, with all people-including those who might never step on a surfboard. These lessons are born of the collective wisdom of the surf community and are a powerful source of inspiration in the face of extraordinary challenges of every day life. "I tell people that I didn't develop or create the code. I simply wrote down what was out there all the time in my heart and in the hearts of many surfers, always there but sometimes overlooked. I like to think the code was always there, a part of every surfer's life, unspoken maybe, but in our hearts, ever since the ancient Polynesians started surfing so many thousands of years ago." -Shaun TomsonJust a few of the lessons shared in Tomson's Surfer's Code:I Will Never Turn My Back on the OceanI Will Take the Drop with CommitmentI Will Never Fight a Rip TideI Will Always Paddle Back OutI Will Watch Out For Other SurfersThere Will Always Be Another WaveI Will Catch a Wave Every Day All Surfers Are Connected By One Ocean
Sufi Comics - The Wise Fool of Baghdad
Mohammed Ali Vakil - 2012
Bahlool who lived in Baghdad, circa the 8th century AD, feigned madness to escape the oppression of the ruling class. Now free of the burden of normalcy he dispensed wisdom in strange and amusing ways.The Wise Fool of Baghdad is a collection of these true stories, richly illustrated in the Turkish-Iranian miniature style. Every story is followed by sacred verses of the Qur'an and traditional sayings, inscribed in Arabic By Muqtar Ahmed, one of India's finest Islamic calligraphers.Get the book. In the crazy times we live in, you'll probably need a fool to make sense of it all.http://www.suficomics.com
Qur'an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective
Amina Wadud - 1992
A pro-faith attempt by a Muslim woman to present a comprehensive, female-inclusive reading of the Qur'an, the sacred Islamic text.
The Primal Meditation Method: How To Meditate When Sitting Still Is Infuriating
Matt Pepliński - 2014
This quick and easy read will teach you the Primal Meditation Method, a technique specifically designed for people who have problems with concentration. If you have been bored or frustrated by past efforts to observe your breath and quiet your mind, but you realize that meditation can help you become healthier, happier, and more successful, you need this book. For more than ten years, author Matt Pepliński tried traditional methods of meditation to reach that healing state of awareness called mindfulness, but those methods didn’t work for him. Learn How First Human Tribes Meditated After realizing what meditation really is and what was getting in the way of mindfulness for him, he was on his way to a scientifically based solution. It took another three years to perfect a technique that would help Westerners like him meditate deeply in a more natural way. Relying on anthropological research by Bradford Keeney and Jonathan Burns, he based the Primal Meditation Method on the way the first human tribes meditated and dealt with traumatic events. He created the Primal Meditation Method because he found traditional methods disappointing. As you can see from his biography, Pepliński had struggled with many problems. Thanks to the Primal Meditation Method, he: increased his emotional sensitivity developed greater self-control Increased his emotional sensitivity Developed greater self-control Started feeling alive again Became more mindful in his day-to-day life If you have found traditional meditation frustrating, The Primal Meditation Method can help you strengthen your mindfulness muscles in the same way pushups can strengthen your triceps.