Philosophy and Religion

Lessons on love and Dharma, with commentaries on 3 essential sutras of Mahayana Buddhism—from the celebrated monk who introduced mindfulness to the Western world “Just might be my favorite book of [Thich Nhat Hanh].” —Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing Down the Bones In Cultivating the Mind of Love, Thich Nhat Hanh gives a most unusual Dharma teaching: the story of his first lo

The world-renowned Buddhist monk offers his personal, heartfelt, and often surprising answers to 50 of the most common questions he has ever been asked Posed to Thich Nhat Hanh by participants in his retreats and from his students, readers will discover that we all share the experience of carrying with us the one question that has always seemingly stood in the way. It may block the next step

According to the Buddha's teaching in the Anapanasati Sutra, maintaining awareness of our breathing is a means of awakening to the true nature of all things and arriving at spiritual liberation. "Breathe, You Are Alive" outlines 16 exercises of conscious breathing that were taught by the Buddha, together with commentaries and further exercises for practicing them every day and in any situation. Th

Though the original edition of Touching the Earth is deeply embraced by those already practicing mindfulness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, the revised edition seeks to make the exercises contained within more accessible for those new to Buddhist or mindfulness practice. Based on the loving kindness and compassion meditation of the Lotus Sutra, Touching the Earth contains one of the most po

Noted Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh offers a dramatic vision of the future of a planet besieged by overconsumption, depleted resources, and global warming and offers answers to these critical problems through the Buddhist teaching of the impermanence of all things.

Encouraging readers to be intelligent and skillful in their practice, this new collection by Thich Nhat Hanh outlines the essential steps by which anyone can all obtain real and lasting happiness.

Renowned Zen teacher Hanh explores the Lotus Sutra's main theme--that everyone has the capacity to become a Buddha and that the Buddha nature is inherent in everything--while emphasizing that Buddha-nature is the basis for peaceful action.

THE PRAYER OF THE HEART IN CHRISTIAN & SUFI MYSTICISM guides the reader through the stages of mystical prayer. Mystical prayer is a way to create a living relationship with the Divine within the heart. Drawing on Christian and Sufi sources such as St. Teresa of Avila, 'Attâr, St. John of the Cross and Rûmî, as well as from his own experience, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee describes how prayer is first bor

Worldly Virtues is an elegant collection of reflections on the great classic virtues by which we may endeavor to live our lives. Johannes Gaertner's philosophical musings shed fresh, contemporary light on old-world virtues, from "sensitivity," "beauty," and "prudence" to "compassion," "intellect," "tact," and the value of "absurdity." Often witty, sometimes dry, and always insightful, the simplici

Mandalas have long been recognised as important tools in Eastern spiritual traditions for focusing meditation. Though various Western traditions possess such contemplative tools, they have often not been recognised as such, except by those deeply schooled in Western esotericism. Adam McLean remedies this situation by presenting and analysing in great depth, over forty beautiful engravings, reprodu

This compendious, but very readable, volume by one of the legends of Tibetan Singing Bowl playing has quickly established itself as the definitive study. Particularly useful is the wide scope of the book, which includes not just Tibetan bowls and the techniques used to sound them, but, also, Chinese bells, drilbu and ding-sha, the planets, elements and chakras, cymatics, overtones and partials, na

Tarot is more than a means of fortune telling: by telling an allegorical story of our quest in life, it provides valuable insight into where we are on our path and how we can arrive at a better place. The Authentic Tarot stays faithful to the cards’ true spirit, using this ancient technique as a tool for self-realization and heightened awareness.

Explains the heretical spiritual beliefs of the Knights Templar and the Rex Deus families and examines their role in the loss of the Holy Land. This book charts their achievements in a range of endeavours, from building castles and cathedrals to laying the foundations of the modern marketplace.

What spiritual or esoteric practices took place within the mysterious and often controversial Knights Templar? Whilst little is known about this aspect of the Order's history, speculation and wild rumours continue to persist. Having taken the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, the members of the Templar Order were required to live the life of other monastic orders. However, their remar

Hafiz (1315-1390) was a Persian poet who "lauded the joys of love and wine but, also, targeted religious hypocrisy". His collected works, the Divan being the most well-known, are regarded as a pinnacle of Persian literature and are often found in the homes of people in the Persian speaking world, who learn his poems by heart and still use them as proverbs and sayings. Hafiz primarily wrote in the 

From Genesis to Christ, the Bible testifies to God's love and concern for animals. The same self-centeredness that led to the violence and abuse that has marked human relations also caused the abuse and exploitation of animals. The Bible, argues the author, calls upon human beings to stop their violence and abuse of each other and all other creatures. It promises that when they do, the sorrow and

Thomas Keating has spent over fifty years in sustained practice and devotion to the spiritual life. The results of this creative humble activity are now summarized in his remarkable book: FRUITS AND GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT. As Father Keating says, the spiritual journey is a gradual process of enlarging our emotional mental and physical relationship with the divine reality that is present in us but one

Jesus' preaching was first and foremost about simple living, pacifism, and vegetarianism; he never intended to create a new religion separate from Judaism. Moreover, Jesus' radical Jewish ethics, rather than a new theology, distinguished him and his followers from other Jews. It was the earliest followers of Jesus, the Jewish Christians, who understood Jesus better than any of the gentile Christia

Thomas Keating has been crucial in reviving centering prayer which in effect is a work of praying in the medieval spiritual tradition of lectio divina (sacred reading). This collection of essays by Keating Thomas R. Ward Sarah A. Butler George F. Cairns Paul David Lawson and Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler furthers that work by expounding centering prayer itself and applying it to other and more outwardly

In many situations and throughout the ages, when people have petitioned God for the relief of their suffering, or the suffering of others, God has said "No." In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that the "cup be taken from him," if it be God’s will. God answered no. Three times St. Paul begged God to remove the "thorn from his side." Three times God said no. When, says Father Lanahan, my fami