"A fascinating blend of Eastern spirituality, Western psychotherapy, feminist consciousness, and real caring."--Riane Eisler, author of The Chalice and the Blade 35 black-and-white photographs.

    Indigenous peoples the world over have been able to gather knowledge of plant uses by communicating directly with plants and honoring the sacred relationship between themselves and the plant world. In Sacred Plant Medicine Stephen Harrod Buhner looks at the long-standing relationship between indigenous peoples and plants and examines the techniques and states of mind these cultures use to communicate with the plant world. He explores the sacred dimension of plant and human interactions and the territory where plants are an expression of Spirit. For each healing plant described in the book, Buhner presents medicinal uses, preparatory guidelines, and ceremonial elements such as prayers and medicine songs associated with its use.

    True religion is the highest Way, the absolute Way: zazen."Here, Deshimaru, the author of True Zen, offers practical suggestions for developing unitary mind-body consciousness through the principles of zazen (translated literally as "seated meditation"). Advice is given on posture, breathing, and concentration, and concepts such as karma and satori are clearly explained.

    In this elegant, inspiring book, he integrates essential Buddhist practices with a variety of other spiritual philosophies and wisdom traditions, to show you how to create a personalized spiritual practice based on your own individual beliefs, aspirations, and needs. Through reflections on his own life quest, thoughtful essays, and entertaining stories, Surya Das examines the common themes at the heart of any spiritual path, including faith, doubt, love, compassion, creativity, self-inquiry, and transformation. He then explores prayer, yoga, chanting, guided meditations, breathing exercises, and myriad other rituals, providing practical examples of each that we can use day-to-day to nurture our inner spirit.

    

    The existence of this "life energy" has been verified by recent scientific experiments, and medical doctors are considering the role it plays in the functioning of the immune system and the healing process. Reiki, a technique for stress reduction that also promotes healing, allows everyone to tap into an unlimited supply of "life energy." Reiki was discovered by Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese Buddhist, early in the 20th Century. Reiki is easy to learn. It has been successfully taught to thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds. A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radience that flows through you and surrounds you. It creates many beneficial effects including relaxation and feelings of peace, security and well being. Many have reported miraculous results. Hospitals and doctors' offices are beginning to include it as part of their therapy, and this new edition describes several successful approaches now being used across the US to integrate Reiki into patient care. This revised and expanded edition includes important new information on the theory and practice of Reiki, including the Japanese Reiki Techniques taught by Dr. Usui as well as the Hayashi healing guide. Also included are pictures of the Usui Memorial in Tokyo, and of Mt. Kurama where Reiki was rediscovered. This book is a must for anyone wanting the latest information on Reiki. Its referenced history of Reiki contains the most detailed and verfiable information currently available. Written with inspiration, clarity and vitality, it captures the essence of Reiki and is an excellent introduction to the subject as well as a user-friendly manual for the experienced practitioner.

    The Feeling Buddha is a lucid account of how the Buddha's path of wisdom and loving kindness grew out of the challenges he encountered in life. Brazier explains the concepts of enlightenment, nirvana and the four Noble Truths, free from mystification. Buddha emerges as a very human figure whose success lay not in his perfection, but in how he positively utilized the energy which was generated through his suffering. This rare guide illustrates how Buddha's philosophy of the "middle way" can lead to a balanced, harmonious, and serene existence in the 21st century.

    In this highly personal and insightful odyssey of the heart and mind, she encounters Tibetan Buddhist meditators, Mexican shamans, and Native American elders, among others. In rapt prose, she recounts her explorations—from Japanese Zen meditation to hallucinogenic plants, from the Dogon people of Mali to the Mayan rain forest, all the while creating "an adventure of the spirit and a feast of wisdom old and new” (Peter Matthiessen). Halifax believes that deep ecology (which attempts to fuse environmental awareness with spiritual values) works in tandem with Buddhism and shamanism to discover “the interconnectedness of all life,” and to regain life’s sacredness. Grove Press is proud to reissue this important work by one of Buddhism’s leading contemporary teachers.

    The result is her best work to date, offering warm, wise, and helpful ways we can experience happiness even when the odds are against us.As Boorstein has discovered in more than three decades of practice as a professional psychotherapist, the secret to happiness lies in actively cultivating our capacity to connect with kindness: with ourselves; with friends, family, colleagues; with those we may not know well; and even with those we may not like. She draws from the heart of Buddhist teachings to show how Wise Effort, Wise Mindfulness, and Wise Concentration can lead us away from anger, anxiety, and confusion, and into calmness, clarity, and the joy of living in the present. These qualities strengthen our ability to meet encounters of every kind with balance and intelligence, providing us with a grounded sense of true contentment.Happiness Is an Inside Job resonates with the knowledge of a psychotherapist, the compassion of a spiritual teacher, and the wisdom of a grandmother. Boorstein’s vivid stories capture our minds and our hearts, and the simple exercises she suggests can be done while you read.This beautiful book is comforting and reminds us that life is a shared journey, that our hearts truly do want to console and love our fellow sojourners, and that living happily is indeed the best way to live.

     Three leading names in the natural health world have joined forces to bring you Essential Oils: Ancient Medicine for the Modern World, your guide to a powerful form of plant-based medicine that can help take the health of your family to new heights. With this user-friendly handbook, you will learn everything you need to know about essential oils and receive practical instruction on how to use them effectively so you can start enjoying their benefits now. This book will help accomplish three key objectives You will: • Be educated on what essentials oil are and why they are so powerful. • Feel empowered to use essential oils safely and effectively to enrich your health and your family’s health. • Get equipped to start enjoying the multiple benefits of essential oils in your everyday life: from treating cuts, scratches and stuffy noses to providing chemical-free personal care, household cleaning and natural pet care. If you are ready to experience more energy, better health, enhanced brain function, balanced hormones, improved digestion, a boosted immune system, reduced emotional stress, and an overall higher quality of life, get ready to start using these ancient medicines in your modern life!

    Some practical benefits of regular superconscious meditation practice: stress is reduced, the body's immune system is strengthened, thinking becomes well-ordered and rational, intellectual and intuitive powers improve, biologic aging processes are slowed, appreciation for living is enhanced, spiritual growth progresses naturally.

    Shamanism and Reiki are, by themselves, powerful ways to heal. Together, their power multiplies, and healing methods become available that aren't accessible if they're used separately. The purpose of "Shamanic Reiki" is to introduce you to concepts in both and provide you with detailed proven methods to enhance your own healing practices, or to work on yourselves. "Shamanic Reiki" empowers the healer / Reiki practitioner to trust their instincts, recognizing that healing is an evolving and dynamic art; to facilitate change requires the healer to trust in spirit and work creatively with the universal life force energy. Now it's your turn to discover the combined power of Reiki and shamanism.

    Learn how the violet flame can be used to increase vitality and to assist any healing process of the body, mind, emotions or spirit. Includes inspiring true stories, nine easy steps to begin using the violet flame with affirmations, mantras, and visualizations.

    This is an inspiring collection of mystical experiences involving angels, miracles, near-death experiences, divine interventions, animal experiences, personal transformations, and miraculous healings. The storytellers come from all walks of life-doctors, lawyers, actors, musicians, mailmen, teachers, and others-and include familiar figures, such as Neal Donald Walsch, Judith Orloff, M.D., and Joan Borysenko. With such a wonderful variety of enlightening stories, every reader will find many that will touch them personally.? Arielle Ford has done publicity for all of bestselling author Deepak Chopra's books and for Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen's Chicken Soup for the Soul books.? Arielle Ford's clients have included such bestselling authors as Marianne Williamson, Neale Donald Walsch, Louise Hay, and Joan Borysenko.? Inspirational books are consistently on the New York Times bestseller list-all of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books have been #1 bestsellers!

    Zen Master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh argues eloquently for their applicability in our daily lives and on a global scale. Nhat Hanh discusses the value and meaning of each precept, offering insights into the role that it could play in our changing society.Thich Nhat Hanh calls the trainings a "diet for a mindful society." With this book he offers a Buddhist contribution to the current thinking on how we can come together to define secular, moral guidelines that will allow us to explore and sustain a sane, compassionate, and healthy way of living. The Five Mindfulness Trainings offer a path to restoring meaning and value in our world, whether called virtues, ethics, moral conduct, or precepts they are guidelines for living without bringing harm to others.