Thomas went to Vietnam at the age of eighteen, where he served as a crew chief on assault helicopters. By the end of his tour, he had been awarded numerous medals, including the Purple Heart. He had also killed many people, witnessed horrifying cruelty, and narrowly escaped death on a number of occasions. When Thomas returned home he found that he continued to live in a state of war. He was overwhelmed by feelings of guilt, fear, anger, and despair, all of which were intensified by the rejection he experienced as a Vietnam veteran. For years, Thomas struggled with post-traumatic stress, drug and alcohol addiction, isolation, and even homelessness. A turning point came when he attended a meditation retreat for Vietnam veterans led by the renowned Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Here he encountered the Buddhist teachings on meditation and mindfulness, which helped him to stop running from his past and instead confront the pain of his war experiences directly and compassionately. Thomas was eventually ordained as a Zen monk and teacher, and he began making pilgrimages to promote peace and nonviolence in war-scarred places around the world including Bosnia, Auschwitz, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and the Middle East. At Hell's Gate is Thomas's dramatic coming-of-age story and a spiritual travelogue from the horrors of combat to discovering a spiritual approach to healing violence and ending war from the inside out. In simple and direct language, Thomas shares timeless teachings on healing emotional suffering and offers us practical guidance in using mindfulness and compassion to transform our lives.

    

    The task before him was immense: to slip past a cordon of crack Chinese troops ringing his summer palace and, with an escort of 300, journey across the highest terrain in the world and over treacherous Himalayan passes to freedom—one step ahead of pursuing Chinese soldiers.Mao Zedung, China’s ruthless Communist dictator, had pinned his hopes for total Tibetan submission on controlling the impressionable Dalai Lama. So beloved was the young ruler—so identified with his country’s essence—that for him to escape might mean perpetual resistance from a population unwilling to tolerate an increasingly brutal occupation. The Dalai Lama’s minders sent word to the Tibetan rebels and CIA-trained guerrillas who waited on the route: His Holiness must escape—at all costs.In many ways, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was unprepared for the epic journey awaiting him. Twenty-two years earlier, government search parties, guided by prophecies and omens, had arrived at the boy’s humble peasant home and subjected the two-year-old to a series of tests. After being declared the reincarnation of Tibet’s previous ruler, the boy was brought to Lhasa to learn the secrets of Buddhism and the ways of ultimate power. Forced in the ensuing two decades to cope with aching loneliness and often stifling ritual—and compelled to suppress his mischievous personality—Gyatso eventually proved himself a capable leader. But no previous Dalai Lama had ever taken on a million Communist Chinese soldiers bent on stamping out Tibetan freedom.To keep his country’s dream of independence alive by means of a government in exile, the young ruler would not only have to brave battalions of enemy soldiers and the whiteout conditions waiting on the slopes of the Himalayas’ highest peaks, he’d have to overcome a different type of blindness: the naïveté intrinsic to his sheltered palace life and his position as leader of a people who considered violence deeply taboo. His mind made up, the young Dalai Lama set off on his audacious journey to India while behind him a Chinese army rolled over Lhasa, its advance hunter patrols in fierce pursuit of the man they most coveted. The 14th’s escape was an act of daring and defiance that represented Tibet’s last hope, and so the world watched, transfixed, as the gentle monk’s journey unfolded. Emotionally powerful and irresistibly page-turning, Escape from the Land of Snows is simultaneously a portrait of the inhabitants of a spiritual nation forced to take up arms in defense of their ideals, and the saga of an initially childlike ruler who at first wore his monk’s robes uncomfortably but was ultimately transformed by his escape into the towering figure the world knows today—a charismatic champion of free thinking and universal compassion.

    Abi Talib, son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, first Shi'i imam and fourth caliph, is a monumental figure within the Islamic tradition. But despite the immense importance of Imam Ali, there is a dearth of literature in Western languages about his life and thought. This book -- the first serious engagement in English with the intellectual principles underpinning his teachings -- is therefore a welcome and valuable addition to the sources available. It consists of three parts. Part one introduces the person of Ali in a general manner, and focuses particularly on the spiritual and ethical content of his teachings. Part two evaluates Ali's "sacred conception of justice" Part three addresses the theme of spiritual realization through the remembrance of God, the central mystical practice of the Sufis. Justice and Remembrance will be of great value to students and scholars of Islamic thought, as well as to those interested in the relationship between spirituality and ethics.

    Drawing upon the symbolism of good and wicked witches, ruby slippers, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and the cowardly Lion, this text offers insight into the journey along the yellow brick road and ten spiritual lessons that are part of Zen consciousness.

    This authoritative guide to Buddhist meditation will introduce readers to the practice, explain how it is approached in the main schools of Buddhism, and offer advice and inspiration from Buddhism's most renowned and effective meditation teachers, including Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Matthieu Ricard.     Topics include how to build excitement and energy to start a meditation routine and keep it going, setting up a meditation space, working with and through boredom, what to look for when seeking others to meditate with, how to know when it's time to try doing a formal meditation retreat, how to bring the practice "off the cushion" with walking meditation and other practices, and much more.

    In this book I will show you what happened and how it was. No matter if you are totally green when it comes to Buddha's teachings or maybe you have already heard something about them - this book will help you systematize your knowledge and will inspire you to learn more and to take steps to make your life positively better! I invite you to take this beatiful journey into the graceful and meaningful world of Buddhism with me today! In This Book I Will Tell You About: -Why Would You Want To Incorporate Buddha's Teachings Into Your Life? -What Buddhism Is And What it Definitely Is Not? -What is the Essence of Buddhism? -Three Main Branches of Buddhism -Buddha's Life and Teachings -Basics of Buddhism (Five Basic Buddha's Principles) -How to Cease Your Suffering -Karma, Rebirth and Reincarnation; Difference between Rebirth and Reincarnation -What Happens After Death According to Buddhism? -Where and How to Start? -The Art of Meditation -Benefits of practicing Buddhism in Everyday Life+ My Personal Experiences! -Further Resources to Continue Your Journey!

    Set against a surreal backdrop of intricate ink illustrations, you will find nine metaphysical lessons with dreamlike instructions that require you to open your heart to unexplored inner landscapes. From setting fire to your anxieties to sharing a cup of tea with your inner demons, you will learn how to let go and truly connect with the world around you.Whether you need a little inspiration or a completely new life direction, Your Illustrated Guide to Becoming One with the Universe provides you with the necessary push to find your true path--and a whimsical adventure to enjoy on the way there.

     You’re about to enter a reality where you can have anything you want simply because you want it. I’ve spent many years on my own journey to mastering manifestation; reading and benefiting from the great works of Abraham Hicks, Bashar, Orin, Catherine Ponder, Napoleon Hill, Neville Goddard, Joe Vitale, and many others. I’ve studied everything from law of attraction, to the subconscious mind, to quantum physics, magick, light work, yoga, psychic phenomena, lucid dreams, astral projection, remote viewing, and more. You don’t need to learn all this to be able to masterfully create your reality. Hell, you don’t even need to know half of it. In my journey I’ve spent a ton of time refining, combining and simplifying everything I learned. I’ve compiled everything I know into a set of few key tools and teachings that make reality creation as simple, enjoyable and fast as possible. I’ll share everything you need to know to start to rapidly and effortlessly manifest the bank account numbers, friendships/exciting dates/relationships, peak health, success, self-confidence, self-fulfillment, joy, exhilaration, and upliftment you could possibly desire. In fact here are some things you can expect inside this book: • Learn exactly how dead simple manifestation is, once you cut through the “information overload” and discover what truly works - what’s always worked, and will always continue to work. • The #1 reason people can’t manifest their wishes, no matter how positively they think, no matter how much they visualize, no matter how many great books they read or seminars they attend, and how to cure this major issue in less than 5 hours from now. • How to remove limiting beliefs in 15 seconds • How to easily and effectively release the parts of you that are resistant to your desire to change, making you more congruent or “all systems go!” • How to remove hundreds of limiting beliefs in less than 5 minutes by working with subpersonalities • How to tune your subconscious to be hypersensitive to all the new beliefs, ideas, insights, inspirations, people and actions that will manifest your desires in the shortest time possible. • Discover Advanced Manifestation Techniques such as Future Affirmations and Theta Manifestation - two very powerful manifestation tools • What exactly is “Source Energy?” • How to be 100% connected to Source Energy and attain spiritual enlightenment WHILE your dreams effortlessly manifest. • Combine The Secrets of The Tibetan Monks and Eastern Yogic Masters to supercharge your mental sharpness, energy levels and vitality at rapid speeds - making it infinitely easier to take action and manifest your wishes • Advanced Secrets of Sex Transmutation, Chakras, Sexual Energy, and Kundalini Energy to Exponentially Elevate your Manifestation Powers, if you dare to become this powerful. • Sending Kundalini to the Brain to Attain Genius Levels of Creativity • Special Supplements and Nootropics to take you to “peak performance” mental cognition and en

    Michie has previously published three mystery novels through Time Warner Books UK.When novice monk Tenzin Dorje is told by his lama that the Red Army is invading Tibet, his country's darkest moment paradoxically gives him a sense of purpose like no other. He accepts a mission to carry two ancient, secret texts across the Himalayas to safety. Half a century later, in a paradox of similarly troubling circumstances, Matt Lester is called upon to convey his own particular wisdom as a scientist, when Matt's nanotech project is mysteriously moved from London to a research incubator in Los Angeles.Tenzin and Matt embark on parallel adventures which have spine-chilling connections. Tenzin's perilous journey through the Himalayas, amid increasing physical hardship and the ever-present horror of Red Army capture, is mirrored by Matt's contemporary, but no less traumatic challenges, as his passionate relationship with his fiance, Isabella, and his high flying career undergo escalating crises. It is at the moment when both Tenzin and Matt face catastrophe that their stories converge, spectacularly transforming our understanding of all that has gone before.

    The newcomer seeking to understand the sometimes contradictory spiritual texts can find it daunting. A Buddhist and professor at Oxford University now unravels these varied religious threads and creates a wonderfully clear and compact look at Buddhist history. From the ancient Indian context to Buddhism in countries beyond, from the Mahayana sutras to Tantra, it presents an account of the religion's development up through the 19 the century, its doctrines and its schools. But the study also covers the context in which Buddhism developed, the external events that had an impact on the religion. Using the most recent scholarship available, it reflects on the Buddha and his teachings, the paths to awakening, the development in the Sangha, the Tripitaka and the Abhidharma, the end of Buddhism in India, and the practice of Buddhism all throughout Asia. A truly enlightening guide.

    Thus, in 2015, Zinovia Dushkova, Ph.D., published a new excerpt from the Book of Dzyan in The Book of Secret Wisdom that revealed the future and destiny of humanity. At that time, however, she was not allowed to disclose anything more about the Book of Dzyan than Helena Blavatsky had already done in her time.But now, for the first time ever, Dr. Dushkova has been permitted to cast more light on the Book of Dzyan and answer the following questions:• Who are the authors of the Book of Dzyan?• Where was it stored in the past, and where is it now?• What are its structure and contents?• When was the Book of Dzyan written?• Why is it now of such great significance, even in your own life?In addition, you will also learn about the attempt that the Masters of Wisdom made to enlighten the world in the 20th century and what challenges face humanity in the 21st century.Get this book now to unveil the hidden truth about the oldest manuscript in the world and its divine authors!

    With expanded information on the practice of Buddhism in the United States and the West, a greater focus on the relationship between Buddhism and Islam, and the effects of Buddhism on Christianity and Judaism, this book explores the easy ways readers can make Buddhism a part of their daily lives. • Includes expanded appendixes featuring a timeline showing the evolution of Buddhism through history • Covers all four schools of Buddhism—Zen, Tibetan, Pure Land, and Insight Meditation • Expanded section on “rites of passage” shows how a new generation has taken to Buddhism

    The Journey to the Sacred Garden guides us along a well-traveled path into this extraordinary experience and includes an experiential CD of shamanic drumming and rattling, providing us with an effective, easily learned technique for expanding awareness and shifting consciousness safely. The first goal: to find our Sacred Garden, a place for personal empowerment; as well as physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual restoration. Once there, we learn through direct experience that the garden can be used as a gateway into the other levels of the inner worlds. Anthropologist Hank Wesselman, Ph.D., reveals that our garden operates by four primary rules: oEverything in the garden is symbolic of some aspect of ourselves or our life experience. oEverything in the garden can be communicated with, enhancing understanding. oThe garden can be changed by doing work. oWhen you change your garden, some part of you or your life will change in response.

    As she uncovers layers of grime on what could prove to be a lost Flemish masterpiece, Rachel finds that layers of her own soul—layers that she would rather have kept hidden—are being stripped away.Imbued with historical and artistic detail, Unveiling will appeal to readers of A.S. Byatt’s Possession and Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. Beautifully written, it brings the venerable city of Rome vividly to life and illuminates the power of art, imagination, and beauty to speak directly to the heart.