And as one of the three most important expressions of Stoicism, this is an essential text for everyone interested in ancient religion and philosophy. Yet the clarity and ease of the work's style are deceptive. Pierre Hadot, eminent historian of ancient thought, uncovers new levels of meaning and expands our understanding of its underlying philosophy. Written by the Roman emperor for his own private guidance and self-admonition, the Meditations set forth principles for living a good and just life. Hadot probes Marcus Aurelius's guidelines and convictions and discerns the hitherto unperceived conceptual system that grounds them. Abundantly quoting the Meditations to illustrate his analysis, the author allows Marcus Aurelius to speak directly to the reader. And Hadot unfolds for us the philosophical context of the Meditations, commenting on the philosophers Marcus Aurelius read and giving special attention to the teachings of Epictetus, whose disciple he was. The soul, the guiding principle within us, is in Marcus Aurelius's Stoic philosophy an inviolable stronghold of freedom, the "inner citadel." This spirited and engaging study of his thought offers a fresh picture of the fascinating philosopher-emperor, a fuller understanding of the tradition and doctrines of Stoicism, and rich insight on the culture of the Roman empire in the second century. Pierre Hadot has been working on Marcus Aurelius for more than twenty years; in this book he distills his analysis and conclusions with extraordinary lucidity for the general reader.

    In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives. In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. Using the psychological insights and the practical techniques of the Stoics, Irvine offers a roadmap for anyone seeking to avoid the feelings of chronic dissatisfaction that plague so many of us. Irvine looks at various Stoic techniques for attaining tranquility and shows how to put these techniques to work in our own life. As he does so, he describes his own experiences practicing Stoicism and offers valuable first-hand advice for anyone wishing to live better by following in the footsteps of these ancient philosophers. Readers learn how to minimize worry, how to let go of the past and focus our efforts on the things we can control, and how to deal with insults, grief, old age, and the distracting temptations of fame and fortune. We learn from Marcus Aurelius the importance of prizing only things of true value, and from Epictetus we learn how to be more content with what we have. Finally, A Guide to the Good Life shows readers how to become thoughtful observers of their own life. If we watch ourselves as we go about our daily business and later reflect on what we saw, we can better identify the sources of distress and eventually avoid that pain in our life. By doing this, the Stoics thought, we can hope to attain a truly joyful life.

    Through compelling profiles of people who knowingly planned the experiences mentioned above, Your Soul’s Plan shows that suffering is not purposeless, but rather imbued with deep meaning. Working with four gifted mediums, author Robert Schwartz reveals the significance of each person’s life plan and allows us a fascinating look into the “other side.”Each personal story focuses on a specific life challenge, organized by type for easy reference. Accessible both to those familiar with the metaphysical aspects of spirituality and to the general reader, the moving narratives that comprise Your Soul’s Plan help readers awaken to the reality that they are transcendent, eternal souls. With this stirring book as a guide, feelings of anger, resentment, guilt, and victimization are healed and transformed into acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, and peace. Robert Schwartz is also the author of Your Soul’s Gift: The Healing Power of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born, which explores the pre-birth planning of spiritual awakening, miscarriage, abortion, caregiving, abusive relationships, sexuality, incest, adoption, poverty, suicide, rape, and mental illness. There’s also a chapter about the pre-birth planning we do with our future pets. Robert Schwartz is a hypnotherapist who offers general Spiritual Guidance Sessions, Past Life Soul Regressions, and Between Lives Soul Regressions. Visit Robert online at www.yoursoulsplan.com.

    Topics include karma and reincarnation superconsciousness, how to choose a guru, Krishna and Christ, and spiritual solutions to today's social and economic problems.

    Today, these trends have reached their extreme—but in the wake of their collapse, we may find great opportunity to transition to a more connected, ecological, and sustainable way of being.   This book is about how the money system will have to change—and is already changing—to embody this transition. A broadly integrated synthesis of theory, policy, and practice, Sacred Economics explores avant-garde concepts of the New Economics, including negative-interest currencies, local currencies, resource-based economics, gift economies, and the restoration of the commons. Author Charles Eisenstein also considers the personal dimensions of this transition, speaking to those concerned with "right livelihood" and how to live according to their ideals in a world seemingly ruled by money. Tapping into a rich lineage of conventional and unconventional economic thought, Sacred Economics presents a vision that is original yet commonsense, radical yet gentle, and increasingly relevant as the crises of our civilization deepen.Sacred Economics official website: http://sacred-economics.com/About the Imprint: EVOLVER EDITIONS promotes a new counterculture that recognizes humanity's visionary potential and takes tangible, pragmatic steps to realize it. EVOLVER EDITIONS explores the dynamics of personal, collective, and global change from a wide range of perspectives. EVOLVER EDITIONS is an imprint of North Atlantic Books and is produced in collaboration with Evolver, LLC.

    Combining earthly wisdom with spiritual enlightenment, it describes how to live each moment to the full and shows the relevance of Zen to every aspect of life.

    An essential volume alongside Coelho’s other bestselling and influential books, such as The Alchemist, The Pilgrimage, Brida, and The Winner Stands Alone, the searing and unforgettable narrative in The Valkyries asks the questions most central to all literature—and all of humanity’s quest for understanding. Why is it that we destroy the things we love most? And how can we learn to let go of the past and believe in the future?

    Buddhism is all about training the mind, and boot camp is an ideal training method for this generation's short attention span. The chapters in this small book can be read in any order, and are simple and easy to understand. Each story, inspirational quote, and teaching offers mindfulness-enhancing techniques that anyone can relate to. You don't need to be a Buddhist to find the Buddha's teachings motivational. As the Dalai Lama says, "Don't try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are."So whether it's Mother Teresa's acts of charity, Gandhi's perseverance, or your aunt Betty's calm demeanor, as long as you're motivated to be better today than you were yesterday, it doesn't matter who inspires you. Regardless of religion, geographical region, race, ethnicity, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, flexibility, or vulnerability, if you do good you feel good, and if you do bad you feel bad.Buddhism isn't just about meditating. It's about rolling up your sleeves to relieve some of the suffering in the world. If you are ready to be a soldier of peace in the army of love, welcome to Buddhist Boot Camp!

    Our personal fulfillment depends on how well we choose and execute these commitments. In The Second Mountain, Brooks looks at a range of people who have lived joyous, committed lives, and who have embraced the necessity of dependence. He gathers their wisdom on how to choose a partner, how to pick a vocation, how to live out a philosophy, and how we can begin to integrate our commitments into one overriding purpose.In short, this book is meant to help us all lead more meaningful lives. But it’s also a provocative social commentary. We live in a society, Brooks argues, that celebrates freedom, that tells us to be true to ourselves, at the expense of surrendering to a cause, rooting ourselves in a neighborhood, binding ourselves to others by social solidarity and love. We have taken individualism to the extreme—and in the process we have torn the social fabric in a thousand different ways. The path to repair is through making deeper commitments. In The Second Mountain, Brooks shows what can happen when we put commitment-making at the center of our lives.

    You’ll discover what you can do to put an end to the habitual thoughts and emotions that limit your consciousness. By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, author and spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization.Copublished with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) The Untethered Soul begins by walking you through your relationship with your thoughts and emotions, helping you uncover the source and fluctuations of your inner energy. It then delves into what you can do to free yourself from the habitual thoughts, emotions, and energy patterns that limit your consciousness. Finally, with perfect clarity, this book opens the door to a life lived in the freedom of your innermost being.

    Once reserved for a "spiritually gifted" few, this infinite source of wisdom and healing energy is now available for readers everywhere to answer questions big and small. How can I find freedom from my past? What are my life purposes? With How to Read the Akashic Records, healer and teacher Linda Howe offers the first book of its kind to help navigate these timeless "Records of the Soul." Drawing from more than 15 years' experience with the Akashic Records, Howe teaches us: The Pathway Prayer Process-a "password" for admittance into the Records How to work with your "MTLOs" - your Masters, Teachers, and Loved Ones-for assistance within the Records Insightful tips to glean the most critical information, whether you're reading for yourself, other individuals, or even your pet"The time has come for us to be our own spiritual authorities and access this illuminating, rich source directly," explains Howe. With How to Read the Akashic Records, anyone who desires to read the Records now has immediate access to this valuable life resource. "The Akashic Records contain everything that every soul has ever thought, said, and done over the course of its existence-as well as all its future possibilities. This valuable information can help you with any aspect of your life journey. And because the Records are also a dimension of consciousness, they are available anytime and everywhere." -Linda Howe The universe is alive-and it has a memory just like you. Known as the Akashic Records, this energetic archive of soul information stands ready to lovingly guide you. Once accessible to rare spiritual masters, now the Records are available to anyone-anytime, anywhere. After a lifelong search for truth, master teacher and healer Linda Howe has developed an infallible method for accessing this reservoir of information: the Pathway Prayer Process. By lifting you to a divine level of consciousness, this sacred prayer opens the doors of the Records, where your "soul blueprint"-everything you need to know about your soul's destiny-awaits you. There you will work with your Masters, Teachers, and Loved Ones to cultivate a rich relationship with the Records and ultimately learn to unleash your highest potential. Grounded with the success stories of dozens whose lives have been touched by the Records, this comprehensive guidebook will help you confidently read the Records for yourself-or another-and find inspiration for your own spiritual path. "Accessing the Akashic Records provides an opportunity to align with your soul and develop your own spiritual authority," teaches Linda Howe. Now with How to Read the Akashic Records you can learn to connect with this divine source for infinite joy, inner peace, and fulfillment. Contents Part One: How to Read the Akashic Records Chapter One: An Introduction to the Akashic Records What Are the Akashic Records? Who Uses the Akashic Records, and Why? How Do People Access the Akashic Records? How Will We Access the Akashic Records in This Book? Chapter Two: Guidelines and Ground Rules for Reading the Akashic Records How Should I Prepare to Read the Akashic Records? What Kinds of Questions Work Best in the Akashic Records? What Should I Expect When I Open My Akashic Records for the First Time? What Kinds of Information Will I Get, and How Will I Get It? Chapter Three: The Pathway Prayer Process Understanding the Pathway Prayer Process: Reading for Yourself Reading Your Akashic Records for the First Time The Difference Between the Akashic Records and Intuition Exercise: The Akashic Records and Intuition Common Questions and Concerns about the Akashic Records Receiving the Help of Your Masters, Teachers, and Loved Ones Different Uses for the Akashic Records Chapter Four: Reading the Akashic Records for Others Understanding the Pathway Prayer Process: Reading for Others Tips on Reading for Others Developing an "Altitude of Consciousness" From Initiate to Beginning Practitioner Part Two: Using the Akashic Records to Heal Yourself and OthersChapter Five: Energy Healing in the Akashic Records How Does Energy Healing Occur in the Akashic Records? As An Akashic Reader-Practitioner, What Are My Roles and Responsibilities? The Three Levels of Healing in the Akashic Records How Can I Recognize the Three Levels of Healing? Exercise: The Three of Healing (Working in Your Akashic RecordsExercise: The Three Levels of Healing (Working in Someone Else's Akashic Records) Chapter Six: Healing Ancestral Patterns in the Akashic Records Who Are My Ancestors How Do Souls Join Acestral Lines? What Is My Responsibility to My Ancestors? How Can I Explore My Ancestors and Their Influences on My Life?Exercise: Identify the Divine Intent of Your Lineage Exercise: Explore the Space Between Lifetimes Exercise: Identify and Clear Unwanted Ancestral Influences on the Present Exercise: Healing a Difficult Bond or Tie Chapter Seven: Healing Past Lives in the Akashic Records What Are Past Lives? How Does Past-Life Healing Occur in the Akashic Records? Exercise: Working in the Akashic Records for Past-Life Healing Exploring Positive Past Lives in the Akashic Records Exercise: Exploring Positive Past-Life Experiences Chapter Eight: Life with the Akashic Records The "Absolutes" The Three Nots Final Thoughts on the Akashic Records: The Past, the Present..and the Future"

    Using high-speed photography, Dr. Masaru Emoto discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed toward them. He found that water from clear springs and water that has been exposed to loving words shows brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns. In contrast, polluted water, or water exposed to negative thoughts, forms incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors. The implications of this research create a new awareness of how we can positively impact the earth and our personal health.

    Yet for so long the word “witch” has had negative connotations. In this book, third generation hereditary witch Lisa Lister explains the history behind witchcraft, why identifying as a healer in past centuries led women to be burned at the stake, and why the witch is reawakening in women across the world today.   All women are witches, and when they connect to source, trust their intuition, and use their magic, they can make medicine to heal themselves and the world. This book is a re-telling of Herstory, an overview of the different schools of witchcraft and the core principles and practices within them.  Discover ancient wisdom made relevant for modern witches:   The wheel of the year, the sabbats, the cycles of the moon.Tools to enhance your intuition, including oracle cards and dowsing, so that you can make decisions quickly and comfortably.Understanding the ancient use of the word “medicine”.How to work with herbs, crystals, and power animals so that you have support in your spiritual work.How to build and use a home altar to focus your intentions and align you with seasonal cycles, the moon cycles, and your own intentions for growth.Cleanse, purify, and create sacred space.Work with the elements to achieve deep connection with the world around you.In addition, Lisa teaches personal, hands-on rituals and spells from her family lineage of gypsy witch magic to help you heal, manifest, and rediscover your powers. Above all, Lisa shows that we really are “the granddaughters of the witches that they couldn't burn”.

    Through explorations of the three pillars of Zen--teaching, practice, and enlightenment--Roshi Philip Kapleau presents a comprehensive overview of the history and discipline of Zen Buddhism.  An established classic, this 35th anniversary edition features new illustrations and photographs, as well as a new afterword by Sensei Bodhin Kjolhede, who has succeeded Philip Kapleau as spiritual director of the Rochester Zen Center, one of the oldest and most influential Zen centers in the United States.

    Based on a course in Paganism that the authors have taught for more than a decade, it is full of exercises, meditations, and discussion questions for group or individual study.This book presents the basic fundamentals of Paganism. It explores what Pagans are like; how the Pagan sacred year is arranged; what Pagans do in ritual; what magick is; and what Pagans believe about God, worship, human nature, and ethics.For those who are exploring their own spirituality, or who want a good book to give to non-Pagan family and friends A hands-on learning tool with magickal workings, meditations, discussion questions, and journal exercises Offers in-depth discussion of ethics and magick