Philosophy and Religion

From the bestselling author of When Things Fall Apart, an open-hearted call for human connection, compassion, and learning to love the world just as it is during these most challenging times.

A classic collection of excerpts from one of the great spiritual leaders of the twentieth century--now in the newly designed Shambhala Pocket Library series. Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986) went from his origins in a small south Indian village to become one of the great spiritual teachers of the twentieth century. He taught that the only way to create peace on earth is to transform the human

The Cloud of Unknowing consists of a series of letters written by a monk to his student or disciple, instructing him (or her) in the way of Divine union.

A classic work of Indian philosophy that succinctly spells out how the mind works and what is needed to attain liberation. In 196 short aphorisms, this classic work of Indian philosophy succinctly spells out how the mind works and how it is possible to use the mind to attain liberation. The Yoga-Sūtra is a road map of human consciousness and a helpful guide to the mental states that one enco

An introduction to the writing and preaching of the greatest medieval European mystic. Meister Eckhart (1260–1327), a German Dominican whose preaching was immensely popular in his own time, was one of the greatest medieval European mystics, and his writings helped build the foundation of the Western mystical tradition. This important introduction to his writing and preaching contains rich s

The profound Zen teachings of Suzuki Roshi brought to life by personal stories and anecdotes from his students. Shunryu Suzuki´s extraordinary gift for conveying traditional Zen teachings using ordinary language is well known to the countless readers of Zen Mind, Beginner´s Mind. In Zen Is Right Here, his teachings are brought to life powerfully and directly through stories told about him by his

Is Yoda a Zen Master? Is the story of Luke Skywalker a spiritual epic? The answers, as well as excitement, adventure, and a lot of fun, are here! This revised and expanded edition of The Dharma of Star Wars uses George Lucas´ beloved modern saga and the wise words of the Buddha to illuminate each other in playful and unexpectedly rewarding ways. Matthew Bortolin writes an inspiring and totally ne

In this inspiring and incisive offering, Barry Magid uses the language of modern psychology and psychotherapy to illuminate one of Buddhism's most powerful and often mysterious technologies: the Zen koan. What's more, Magid also uses the koans to expand upon the insights of psychology (especially self psychology and relational psychotherapy) and open for the reader new perspectives on the function

Simon Mollat woke up in the dunes of Arambol Beach, Goa, India with an agonizing hangover. The year was 2000 and the apocalypse was still a figment of collective imagination – the millennium celebration had lasted Simon for four consecutive months. A more enlightened soul would have enjoyed the sunrise, but not Simon. He was being pissed on by a stray dog, and somewhere in the back of his mind Pin

n Travelers: The Meaningful Journey, Régent Jean Cabana takes readers on a soul-affirming journey, making a strong case that the world outside, the one we travel into, responds to the world inside, the world we carry in our hearts and souls.Cabana draws on both old and new age wisdom to illustrate the unique qualities of each individual traveler, while at the same time exemplifying the universal a

"The Platform Sutra" occupies a central place in Zen (Ch'an) Buddhist instruction for students and spiritual seekers worldwide. It is often linked with "The Heart Sutra" and "The Diamond Sutra" to form a trio of texts that have been revered and studied for centuries. However, unlike the other sutras, which transcribe the teachings of the Buddha himself, "The Platform Sutra" presents the life and w

Right behind your eyes, you are there. You can feel yourself there, looking. So intimate is your connection with your looking that when you say, 'I'm looking,' you're implying that how you look and what you see are a direct reflection of who you are in this moment. Your attitudes and beliefs reflect what you see and the way you live in your body can colour your perceptions as well. This splitting

Known as the “keepers of the ancient knowledge,” the Q’ero Indians of Peru are the most respected mystics of the south-central Andes. In 1996 Joan Parisi Wilcox traveled to the Andes and was able to record the mysteries of kawsaypacha,the multidimensional world of living energy, through more than 40 hours of intensive interviews with six Q’ero paqos,masters of the ancient spiritual traditions of P

· Explains Shiva's contradictory forms, such as destroyer or benefactor and how his form depends on the needs of the devotee· Reveals how Shiva's teachings allow one to see through the illusions at the root of all grief and alienation in human life· Explores Shiva's relationships with Durga, Shakti, Sati and Parvati and with his sons Ganesha and KartikeyaShiva, the most ancient and complex deity o

The mainstream position of the Christian church on sexuality was perhaps best summed up by Pope Innocent III (1160-1216) when he stated that the sexual act is so shameful that it is intrinsically evil. Another Christian theologian maintained that the holy Ghost is absent from the room shared by a wedded couple. What Philip records in his gospel is that Christ said exactly the opposite: the nuptial

According to Zen masters, by adopting a belly-centered posture and correct breathing, one can cultivate inner tranquility and balance: the state called Hara. Karlfried Graf Durckheim shows the Western world how to overcome the physical and spiritual decay of modern life by adopting the age-old techniques of Japanese Zen masters.

The Mysteries of Mithraspresents a revival of the magical practices and initiatory system of Mithraism, the ancient Roman mystery religion that was immensely popular in the Roman Legions from the late second century B.C. until A.D. 400 and was taken to every corner of the Roman Empire. As the last pagan state religion in Europe, it was the most important competitor to early Christianity and heavil

Gnosticism was contemporary to early Christianity and its demise can be traced to Christianity's efforts to silence its teachings. The Gnostic message however was not destroyed but simply went underground. Starting with the first emergence of Gnosticism the author shows how its influence extended from the teachings of neo-Platonists and the magical traditions of the Middle Ages to the beliefs and

One of the cache of codices and manuscripts discovered in Nag Hammadi, THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS, unlike the canonical gospels, does not contain a narrative recording Christ's life and prophecies. Instead it is a collection of his teachings: in fact what he actually said. These 114 logia or sayings were collected by Judas Didymus Thomas, whom some claim to be Jesus's closest disciple. No sooner was thi