Philosophy and Religion

Caesar's Messiah, a real life Da Vinci Code, presents the dramatic and controversial discovery that the conventional views of Christian origins may be wrong. Author Joseph Atwill makes the case that the Christian Gospels were actually written under the direction of first-century Roman emperors.

This collection of fifteen articles and talks by Tulku Thondup constitutes a manual on how to transmute the situations encountered in daily life, whether external or internal, into spiritual disciplines and experiences. Among the topics covered are:    •  The fundamental principles of Buddhism.    •  The practice of meditation as a means of aro

Here is the first complete manual of Chinese medicine specifically written for the layperson. Filled with illustrated exercises and recipes

Master Hua-Ching Ni uses straightforward language and personal experiences, as well as traditional stories and teachings of the ancient masters, to impart the wisdom of Taoism, the Integral Way. His teachings promote a simple, natural, healthy, and happy way of life that lays the foundation for spiritual self-cultivation. Master Ni emphasizes that it is important first to establish a good unders

The most basic, clear principles of Tibetan Buddhism are here lucidly presented by a renowned modern teacher and monk. Tai Situpa illuminates Buddhist teachings in commonsense terms, using down-to-earth examples—making this a perfect handbook for beginners as well as an excellent companion for long-time students.

To age with the sun and moon and be renewed by spring and summer, to conserve the seeds of growth in autumn and winter and to be nourished by the eternal breath of the Tao—these are the goals of the Taoist alchemists, the masters of the arts of health, longevity, and immortality. This book is a translation of a concise Taoist alchemical manual known as the Dragon-Tiger Classic, along with

A unique glimpse into the mind of the 12-century visionary Hildegard of Bingen through her “creative and insightful” writings on medicine, spirituality, and more (Booklist) Visionary, mystic, poet, musician, naturalist, healer, theologian—the Rhineland nun Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) was a Renaissance woman long before there w

The true nature of our minds is enlightened and peaceful, as the depth of the ocean is calm and clear. But when we mentally grasp and emotionally cling to our wants and worries with all our energy, we lose our own enlightened freedom and healing power, only to gain stress and exhaustion, suffering and overexcitement, like the turbulent waves rolling on the surface of the ocean. Our minds possess

Dark, earthy, and immensely powerful, the Black Goddess has been a key force in world history, manifesting in images as diverse as the Indian goddess Kali and the Black Madonnas of medieval Europe. She embodies the energy of chaos and creativity, creation and destruction, death and rebirth. Images of Her, however, have been conspicuously missing in the Western world for centuries—until now,

How did we come to revere this thirteenth-century Italian merchant's son as a saint? This penetrating meditation provides what may be the best answer yet, by gently but sure-handedly cutting through every pious legend to discover what is timeless and universally true about Saint Francis.

The Christian mystics are the treasure of Western civilization—yet they remain little known among those of us who are potentially their spiritual heirs. Andrew Harvey's anthology confronts us with the mystics in their own words, to show us how well they serve, even now, as guides for the spiritual life—and to challenge our preconceived ideas about the path of Christianity. He has chose

No other English translation of this greatest of the Chinese classics can match Ursula Le Guin's striking new version. Le Guin, best known for thought-provoking science fiction novels that have helped to transform the genre, has studied the Tao Te Ching for more than forty years. She has consulted the literal translations and worked with Chinese scholars to develop a version that lets the ancient

A leading spiritual teacher of the twentieth century presents meditation as a tool for better understanding not just ourselves but the world around us   These selections present the core of Krishnamurti's teaching on meditation, taken from discussions with small groups, as well as from public talks to large audiences. His main theme is the essential need to look inward, to know ourselves, i

In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, devotion to one's guru or spiritual master is considered to be of the utmost importance in spiritual practice. The instructions of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, based upon the teachings of the great eighteenth-century saint and visionary Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, focus on the devotional practices of Guru Yoga, "Merging with the Mind of the Guru."

Unlike most t'ai chi books, which focus strictly on how to do the t'ai chi forms, T'ai Chi as a Path of Wisdom presents a personal, practical view of this intriguing martial art. Lehrhaupt shares illuminating stories from her own life and the lives of her students that show how t'ai chi can be a vehicle for profound self-discovery and spiritual growth. In learning to master each body posture, t'

This playful and accessible guide presents a Buddhist psychological system for enhancing self-awareness, interpersonal communication, and creativity This book invites us to celebrate our strengths and work with our weaknesses by learning to identify and utilize five basic personal styles or energies based on a Tibetan Buddhist practice. Each of the five wisdom energies is associated with particu

Dainin Katagiri (1928–1990) was a central figure in the transmission of Zen in America. His first book, Returning to Silence, emphasized the need to return to our original, enlightened state of being, and became one of the classics of Zen in America. In You Have to Say Something, selections from his talks have been collected to address another key theme of Katagiri's teaching: that of bringin

This lucid overview of the Buddhist path takes the perspective of the three "vehicles" of Tibetan Buddhism: the Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. While these vehicles are usually presented as a historical development, they are here equated with the attitudes that individuals bring to their Buddhist practice. Basic to them all, however, is the need to understand our own immediate condition. The pr

This practical commentary on one of the most important scriptures of the Pali canon will provide essential sustenance for Buddhist practitioners.

Tibetans accord The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa a classic status comparable to that of the Mahabharata and the Bible, and revere its author as probably the best single exemplar of the religious life. Milarepa was an eleventh-century Buddhist poet and saint, a cotton-clad yogi who avoided the scholarly institutions of his time and wandered from village to village, teaching enlightenment and