Abraham Lincoln: Lessons in Spiritual Leadership


Elton Trueblood - 2012
    But in this classic work, Christian philosopher and statesman Elton Trueblood reveals how Lincoln's leadership skills flowed directly from his religious convictions—which explains how the president was able to combine what few leaders can hold together: moral resoluteness with a shrewd ability to compromise; confidence in his cause while refusing to succumb to the traps of self-righteousness or triumphalism; and a commitment to victory while never losing sight of his responsibility for—or the humanity of—his enemy. These rich meditations offer deep wisdom and insight on one of the most effective leaders of all time.

The Gita Way- Secret Recipe to achieve the purpose of life


Shweta Chandra - 2016
    Without delving into either mythological or God-centric discourse, the book attempts to understand and explain various insights from the Gita through, in the author's words, derived theory and application. The Gita Way attempts to shed light on matters of self-realisation, and identifying and following the path to achieve the purpose of life. Within the framework of Vedic philosophy represented by Gita, this book explores:How to discover the swa-bhava, the inherent natural strength of our real-self?Is my profession aligned with my swa-bhava? What is my purpose of life?What is the real meaning of moksha, the liberation? How the realization of individual purpose leads us to attain supreme purpose we are born to achieve? Using the principles of Gita, this book presents innovative findings on theory of prarabdha, the luck or destiny, role of knowledge and karma, continuous improvement, yoga of universal harmony and yoga of devotion. To highlight few, in chapter combined discipline of knowledge and karma, authors introduce most important part of their research—Centring. Centring summarizes power of combined application of yoga of knowledge and karma along with simplified theory of spirit and supreme spirit. Chapter Vision of Universal Form and Yoga of Liberation simplifies the meaning of moksha, the state of liberation by linking it to the attainment of supreme purpose of life. Chapters on Yoga of Devotion and Continuous improvement focus on recipe of staying on the unique path of achieving individual goal. Unlike other books on Bhagavad Gita, the Gita Way is not a chapter wise discourse. Instead it presents deduced concepts in first place supported with relevant reference from the whole Gita. For example, in the first chapter of the Gita Way, you may get a reference of last chapter of Gita relevant to the topic of discussion.Contents:1. INTRODUCTION TO ‘THE GITA WAY’ 11Development of ‘The Gita Way’ 17 2. DEVELOPING A SENSE OF PURPOSE IN LIFE 25Goal 28Finding Unique Strength and Developing It 32Joy of the Self-Hobby vs Profession 35How to Set a Goal? 39Doubt in any form is the Biggest Enemyto Self-realisation 45The Story of Barbarika: Why was Barbarika Sacrificed? 47 3. YOGA OF KNOWLEDGE 51Knowledge of Self 54Elements of Self 56Consciousness of Self-Identity 57Intellect 60Primordial Matter 62Source of Perception and Action, One Mind and Five Senses 63Physical Body and Fitness 63False Goals such as Desire, Aversion and Pleasure 64Required Qualities in Self 64How Does One Achieve ‘Absolute Knowledge’? 67Lack of Knowledge is Ignorance which creates Fear 71 4. KARMA YOGA 74Prescribed Act and Prohibited Act 76Yoga and the Attributes of a Yogi 79How does One Achieve Equipoise? 80Desire-Entrap 84Hierarchy of Control 86Theory of Prarabdha or Destiny 88Butterfly Effect 90Hurdles in the Path of Karma-Yoga 93Vikarma 95Law of Growth 96Ultimate Dispassion: Nishkam Karma 97How to stay on the Path of Karma-Yoga? 99 5. COMBINED DISCIPLINE OF KNOWLEDGE AND KARMA 101Self-Realisation 102Wisdom 104Sacrifice 108Centring and Power of Real-Self 112Power of Real-self 113Centring 116Yoga of Self-Control 119 6. YOGA OF DEVOTION 121 The Cycle of Liberation 123How does devotion come to us? 127Devotion to Tame the Mind 129Relevance of Devotion to the Theory of Prarabdha 130Symptoms of Lack of Devotion 134 7. VISION OF THE UNIVERSAL FORM 136Universal Form of Goal 140Concept of Self 147Redirecting the Purpose of Desire 150 8. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ON THREE MODES OF NATURE 152Inner Purification by Knowing Sattva, Rajas and Tamas 159Sattva 159Rajas 161Tamas 164The Gita Way of Continuous Improvement 165Elimination of Waste 166 9. YOGA OF LIBERATION 170How is Sattva linked with the Supreme Goal? 173How does one attain sattva? 174Non-violence in thoughts and Action. 175Absence of Pride 175Internal and External Purity 176Steadfastness of Mind 176Control of Body, Mind and Senses 176Sincerity 177Forbearance 177Uprightness of Speech and Mind 177Devout Service to the Preceptor 177 Austerity of Mind 178Sattvika Intellect 178Sattvika Sacrifice 179Leadership by Creating Order Around 180 Yoga of Liberation 182

Love Everyone: The Transcendent Wisdom of Neem Karoli Baba Told Through the Stories of the Westerners Whose Lives He Transformed


Parvati Markus - 2015
    Ram Dass’s words about Maharajji’s life-affirming wisdom resonated with a youth culture that had grown disillusioned with the violence, civil discord, and crude materialism of modern civilization. Hundreds of Westerners traveled to India and experienced Maharajji’s extraordinary presence directly until his death in 1973. His simple directives—love everyone, feed everyone, and remember God—opened their hearts and awakened their souls.What these followers brought back to the West has since changed the landscape of everyday life. Meditation is now mainstream; yoga studios are in every town; and mindfulness is practiced in elementary schools and board-rooms everywhere, from Silicon Valley to Capitol Hill. A stirring piece of history, Love Everyone brings these stories to life, sharing for the first time the inspiring tales of the men and women who followed the siren call of the East to the foothills of the Himalayas, then returned to forever reshape the world.A compelling and inspiring tribute to Maharajji from the Western men and women who knew him best, Love Everyone is a profound teaching on the power of love, as lasting and transformative as the truth, wisdom, and bliss of Maharajji.

The Zen of Oz: Ten Spiritual Lessons from Over the Rainbow


Joey Green - 1998
    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.

Glory: Experiencing the Atmosphere of Heaven


Ruth Ward Heflin - 1996
    It is the revelation of the presence of God. He is Glory! As air is to the atmosphere of the Earth, so glory is the atmosphere of Heaven. Praise...until the spirit of worship comes. Worship...until the glory comes. Then...stand in the glory. If you can capture the basic principles of Praise, Worship, and Glory which are outlined in this book--so simple that we miss them--you can have anything else you want in God.

Bahá'í Prayers: A Selection of Prayers


Bahá'u'lláh - 1976
    

Introduction to Vedanta


Dayananda Saraswati - 1998
    Yet, each moment of joy is only that: momentary, showing up the rest of our lives to be unsatisfying, somehow lacking and incomplete. On the other hand, Vedanta, the body of knowledge found at the end of the Veda, asserts with breathtaking boldness that one's true nature is completeness and limitlessness. Vedanta also promises that moksa, liberation from all forms of limitations that seem to bind a human being, is possible here and now. In this lucid, lively introduction to Vedanta, Swami Dayananda shows how man's constant struggle to overcome these limitations through the ceaseless pursuit of security and pleasure are predestined to failure for the simple reason that they are misdirected: they stem from a failure in understanding the real nature of the fundamental problem itself. All effort howsoever great or unremitting being limited, the result of such effort is also bound to be equally limited, inadequate. The road to freedom from limitation, then, can scarcely lie that way. Indeed, asserts Vedanta, it is only to be found in the correct knowledge of one's true nature as absolute. This vital first step, a clear understanding of man's fundamental problem of ignorance and error about his real nature. Is what this book is all about.

A Faith for All Seasons


Ted M. Dorman - 1995
    Dorman revises his textbook, which introduces and explains the classic doctrines of the historic Christian faith. While systematic in organization, the book remains written for students, aiming to bring them to an understanding of the central doctrines of the Christian church including the doctrines of Scripture, God, creation, humanity, atonement, salvation, and eschatology.

A Layman's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours : How the Prayers of the Church Can Change Your Life


Timothy M. Gallagher - 2019
    Paul exhorts us to “pray without ceasing” — a beautiful goal that sounds daunting, even impossible. But wait! These pages break open an authoritative, time-tested method that countless laymen still use today to pray with constancy and thereby soar to the heights of holiness. It’s called the Liturgy of the Hours. Also known as the Divine Office or the breviary, the Liturgy of the Hours is an important vehicle for advancing in the spiritual life — a step that any serious Catholic, with the help of Fr. Timothy Gallagher, can take today. Relying on insights from popes and saints, as well as on his five decades’ experience praying the Liturgy of the Hours, Fr. Gallagher opens your eyes to this spiritual treasury and shows you how, by means of its sanctifying rhythm, it will help you progress on your spiritual journey. Soon, you will be among the multitude of Catholics who pray the Hours daily and are richly blessed by the flow of graces these prayers yield. From the wise Fr. Gallagher, you’ll learn: • The basic elements of the Liturgy of the Hours • How to incorporate them into your day, no matter how busy it may be • How the Hours will revitalize your daily prayers and prevent them from becoming routine • How they will extend the graces you obtain at Mass into your entire day • How praying the Hours with your family will link you more intimately to each other—and to the universal Church If you’re looking to invigorate your prayer life and draw closer to Our Lord in friendship and holy contemplation, discover the Liturgy of the Hours.

The Buddha in Your Rearview Mirror: A Guide to Practicing Buddhism in Modern Life


Woody Hochswender - 2007
    That book, which is in its 10th printing and has sold more than 80,000 copies, was such a resounding success that Hochswender has written an insightful new work -- at once a follow-up to the previous volume and a freestanding work of its own. A new breath of inspiration, "The Buddha in Your Rearview Mirror" speaks to the spiritual yearnings so many of us have amid the hustle and flux of contemporary life. The book is a sophisticated but accessible introduction to Buddhism as well as an in-depth study of Buddhism in the Samurai period. Hochswender again focuses on the philosophy of Nichiren and applies its principles to everyday issues ranging from health to careers to family problems. "The Buddha in Your Rearview Mirror" is both cogent and compelling -- informative history and inspiring self-help. Ideal for the novice or veteran Buddhist, the book will resonate with anyone interested in concrete methods for tapping into their own highest potential or enlightened self.

The Sermon on the Mount


Richard Rohr - 2006
    He explains Matthew's challenge to let go of the conventional wisdom that comes with contemporary American culture. Each of seven talks brings us closer to the heart of the Sermon. Rohr contrasts conventional wisdom with the wisdom of Christ and draws the listener into the Kingdom of God, the end of the world and the experience of enlightenment. He explains that each generation lives in end times, that the Kingdom is for those willing to let go of all cultural idolatry (past and present) and that those who live in reality travel a path of life which unfolds into freedom. This series is a powerful call to follow Jesus Christ in the commandments of the New Testament. Talk 1: Awakening the Heart: Recognizing Cultural Idolatry Talk 2: Voices of the World: Social Institutions Talk 3: Table Fellowship: Alfalfa Sprouts and Gravy Talk 4: Matthew's Gospel: Charter for a New World Order Talk 5: Transformation: Jumping Off the Tower Talk 6: The Sermon and Conventional Wisdom Talk 7: Love and Power, Power and Love

Reflections


Idries Shah - 1972
    The book confronts the reader with unaccustomed perspectives and ideas, in an attempt to set the mind free, to see how things really are. As the book's foreword states, 'Do you imagine that fables exist only to amuse or to instruct, and are based upon fiction? The best ones are delineations of what happens in real life, in the community and in the individual's mental processes'.

Living the Mass: How One Hour a Week Can Change Your Life


Dominic Grassi - 2005
    A. Pierce, author of Spirituality at Work The concluding prayer of the Mass is a command: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. We are charged to go forth and quite literally transform our families, our communities, and our world through the redeeming sacrifice of Christ as celebrated in the Mass. Fr. Dominic Grassi and Joe Paprocki use this challenge as the starting point for their inspiring and illuminating look at the central act of Catholic worship. They ask, What would our faith look like if we truly understood the gift of the Eucharist?Living the Mass will stir a new passion for and a greater understanding of this sacred two-thousand-year-old celebration offered freely to all who come, to all who believe.  Also available in Spanish! Vivir la misa

Ramayana - The Story of Lord Rama


Bhakti Vikasa Swami - 2011
    The Ramayana records the adventure of Rama, the Lord of righteousness, as He struggles to overcome the forces of Ravana. This absorbing naration has delighted and enlightened countless generations in India, and its timeless spiritual insights are compellingly relevant in today's confused world.

Reflections on the Existence of God: A Series of Essays


Richard E. Simmons III - 2019
    Each essay can be read in less than 10 minutes. In the end it is important to know whether God exists or He does not exist. There is no third option. What I am seeking to do in this book is to determine which of these beliefs is true and which one is not. —Richard E. Simmons III