Written in a concise style which is knowledgeable, yet not overly-academic. The questions addressed are the most common and modern questions popularly asked.

    Later generations further developed these initial insights, but we have never grown beyond them. Rabbinic Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, for example, were all secondary flowerings of the original Israelite vision. Now, in The Great Transformation, Karen Armstrong reveals how the sages of this pivotal "Axial Age" can speak clearly and helpfully to the violence and desperation that we experience in our own times. Armstrong traces the development of the Axial Age chronologically, examining the contributions of such figures as the Buddha, Socrates, Confucius, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the mystics of the Upanishads, Mencius, and Euripides. All of the Axial Age faiths began in principled and visceral recoil from the unprecedented violence of their time. Despite some differences of emphasis, there was a remarkable consensus in their call for an abandonment of selfishness and a spirituality of compassion. With regard to dealing with fear, despair, hatred, rage, and violence, the Axial sages gave their people and give us, Armstrong says, two important pieces of advice: first there must be personal responsibility and self-criticism, and it must be followed by practical, effective action. In her introduction and concluding chapter, Armstrong urges us to consider how these spiritualities challenge the way we are religious today. In our various institutions, we sometimes seem to be attempting to create exactly the kind of religion that Axial sages and prophets had hoped to eliminate. We often equate faith with doctrinal conformity, but the traditions of the Axial Age were not about dogma. All insisted on the primacy of compassion even in the midst of suffering. In each Axial Age case, a disciplined revulsion from violence and hatred proved to be the major catalyst of spiritual change.

    From Zoroastrian sky burials to wish-granting Bolivian skulls, she investigates the world’s funerary customs and expands our sense of what it means to treat the dead with dignity. Her account questions the rituals of the American funeral industry—especially chemical embalming—and suggests that the most effective traditions are those that allow mourners to personally attend to the body of the deceased. Exquisitely illustrated by artist Landis Blair, From Here to Eternity is an adventure into the morbid unknown, a fascinating tour through the unique ways people everywhere confront mortality.

    Thoughts Without a Thinker is a major contribution to today's exploding discussion of how Eastern spirituality can enhance Western psychology. In it, Mark Epstein argues that the contemplative traditions of the East can be extremely beneficial to patients, not just in helping them recognize their problems, but by giving them the strength to heal. Clearly written and very accessible, this enlightening guide explains the unique psychological contributions of the teachings of Buddhism, describes the path of meditation in contemporary psychological language, and lays out the possibility of a meditation-inspired psychotherapy.

    Here, Sokal teams up with Jean Bricmont to expose the abuse of scientific concepts in the writings of today's most fashionable postmodern thinkers. From Jacques Lacan and Julia Kristeva to Luce Irigaray and Jean Baudrillard, the authors document the errors made by some postmodernists using science to bolster their arguments and theories. Witty and closely reasoned, Fashionable Nonsense dispels the notion that scientific theories are mere "narratives" or social constructions, and explored the abilities and the limits of science to describe the conditions of existence.

    Apply it and life will begin to change according to YOUR order. When you use Transurfing goals are not reached, so much as realised for the most part of themselves. It seems impossible to believe but only at first. The ideas presented in the book have already received practical confirmation. Those who have tried Transurfing, experience surprise bordering on delight as the world of the Transurfer inexplicably changes before their very eyes. What is the book about? Transurfing is the art of controlling reality using our freedom of choice. The world always reflects our perception of it. People can choose any variant of the development of current reality and thereby find themselves in circumstances they find desirable . To learn how to do this, you have to learn how to establish mutual understanding between the soul and mind, formulate intention and avoid the influence of destructive pendulums. Why should you read this book? Most people who have read "Transurfing", note that from the very e first pages, the book completely reverses their view of the world and the role of the individual in their own life. A fresh look at reality encourages the reader to consciously relate to the choices they make in any moment, and this really changes their life in the direction they would like. "It works!" is the phrase found in almost all reviews of Vadim Zeland's book. Who is this book for? The book has aroused great interest among the young and middle-aged, those who are interested equally in philosophy, psychology and physics and the mysteries of human consciousness. Why we decided to publish it The idea of " Transurfing Reality" quickly gained popularity when the author posted the text on the Internet. Numerous readers' reviews, saying that it really works, and the author's original take on the structure of reality prompted the publishers decide to publish Vadim Zeland's manuscript. We had no doubt that "Transurfing" would be popular among a huge audience About the author Vadim Zeland: "I'm over forty. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union I was engaged in research in the field of quantum physics, then computer technology, and now books. I live in Russia. My nationality is Russian, or more precisely, a quarter Estonian. The rest is irrelevant, as is all the above. Regarding my own success, all I can say is that Transurfing works perfectly. I don’t however want to advertise my personal life, as then it would cease to be personal. Fame turns against you, if you give in to temptation and climb up on a pedestal for all to see. Among some people, the American Indians, for example ,there is a belief that if someone copies your portrait (photographs you), they steal part of your soul. Of course, this is just superstition, but tthere is no smoke without fire. You can distribute a product of personal creativity ; but release your personality for mass circulation – never. To the question of intrigued readers: "Who are you, Vadim Zeland?", I usually just say: "Nobody". My biography can not and should not be a matter of interest, since I am not thecreator of Transurfing, only a "retranslator". It is essential that we be nothing - an empty vessel, so that we do not impose our personal distortions onto this ancient Knowledge, that opens the door to a world, where the impossible becomes possible. Reality ceases to exist as something external and independent. and becomes manageable if you follow certain rules. The secret itself that is hidden only in as much as it lies on the surface, is so great that the personality of its bearer ceases to be relevant.