A sparklingly strange odyssey through the kaleidoscope of America’s new spirituality: the cults, practices, high priests and prophets of our supposedly post-religion age. In Strange Rites, Tara Isabella Burton takes a tour through contemporary American religiosity. As the once dominant totems of civic connection and civil discourse–traditional churches–continue to sink into obsolescence, people are looking elsewhere for the intensity and unity that religion once provided. We’re making our own personal faiths – theistic or not – mixing and matching our spiritual, ritualistic, personal, and political practices in order to create our own bespoke religious selves. We’re not just building new religions in 2019, we’re buying them, from Gwyneth Paltrow’s gospel of Goop, to the brilliantly cultish SoulCycle, to those who believe in their special destiny on Mars. In so doing, we’re carrying on a longstanding American tradition of religious eclecticism, DIY-innovation and “unchurched” piety (and highly effective capitalism). Our era is not the dawn of American secularism, but rather a brand-bolstered resurgence of American pluralism, revved into overdrive by commerce and personalized algorithms, all to the tune of “Hallellujah”–America’s most popular and spectacularly misunderstood wedding song.

Jay Shetty, social media superstar and host of the #1 podcast On Purpose, distills the timeless wisdom he learned as a monk into practical steps anyone can take every day to live a less anxious, more meaningful life. When you think like a monk, you’ll understand: -How to overcome negativity -How to stop overthinking -Why comparison kills love -How to use your fear -Why you can’t find happiness by looking for it -How to learn from everyone you meet -Why you are not your thoughts -How to find your purpose -Why kindness is crucial to success -And much more… Shetty grew up in a family where you could become one of three things—a doctor, a lawyer, or a failure. His family was convinced he had chosen option three: instead of attending his college graduation ceremony, he headed to India to become a monk, to meditate every day for four to eight hours, and devote his life to helping others. After three years, one of his teachers told him that he would have more impact on the world if he left the monk’s path to share his experience and wisdom with others. Heavily in debt, and with no recognizable skills on his résumé, he moved back home in north London with his parents. Shetty reconnected with old school friends—many working for some of the world’s largest corporations—who were experiencing tremendous stress, pressure, and unhappiness, and they invited Shetty to coach them on well-being, purpose, and mindfulness. Since then, Shetty has become one of the world’s most popular influencers. In 2017, he was named in the Forbes magazine 30-under-30 for being a game-changer in the world of media. In 2018, he had the #1 video on Facebook with over 360 million views. His social media following totals over 38 million, he has produced over 400 viral videos which have amassed more than 8 billion views, and his podcast, On Purpose, is consistently ranked the world’s #1 Health and Wellness podcast. In this inspiring, empowering book, Shetty draws on his time as a monk to show us how we can clear the roadblocks to our potential and power. Combining ancient wisdom and his own rich experiences in the ashram, Think Like a Monk reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us. He transforms abstract lessons into advice and exercises we can all apply to reduce stress, improve relationships, and give the gifts we find in ourselves to the world. Shetty proves that everyone can—and should—think like a monk.

“It’s easy in these times to allow ourselves to slip into resignation, isolation, or despair. The Book of Soul is an antidote.” —Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global and Founder, Huffington Post “I recommend The Book of Soul for all of us wanting to stay connected to a deeper purpose.” —Melinda Gates, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Moment of Lift “There is much to explore and savor in this [new] book [by] this incredibly talented writer, storyteller, poet, and teacher. The spiritual practitioner will rejoice in Nepo’s uncanny ability to consistently stretch our minds and souls with fresh musings.” —Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality & Practice “I love all Mark’s books because of his deep insights and his amazing way with words, but there’s something truly special about this one. It feels like a compilation of the best and most profound ideas from his work. I want to savor each and every chapter.” —Katy Koontz, Editor, Unity Magazine A powerful new book of spiritual awakening from #1 New York Times bestselling author Mark Nepo In The Book of Soul, Mark Nepo, the bestselling author of The Book of Awakening, offers a powerful guide to inhabiting an authentic and wholehearted life. After we are physically born, we must be spiritually born a second time, a process that takes place through the labor of a lifetime as we develop into more fully realized beings. The Book of Soul delves into the spiritual alchemy of that transformation in all its mystery, difficulty, and inevitability. The book is divided into four sections that mark the passages we all face: enduring our Walk in the World, until we discover Our True Inheritance, which allows us to live in the open by Widening Our Circle, as we Help Each Other Stay Awake. The Book of Soul is a piercing guide, replete with beautiful truths and startling insight, that leads us deeply into the process of transformation.

Transcriptions of talks from within a private circle of spiritual practitioners, exploring subjects such as developing intention, will, awareness, awakening our capacities for love, and reducing the domination of ego.

Mystics of the World is proud to present an unusual and beautiful new publication-Windows to the Soul, a little book of wisdoms. This small book defies any characterization of genre within the realm of books on truth or spirituality. For that reason, it is as accessible as it is illuminating. The inspired wisdoms within are not so much meant to comfort as to refresh and revitalize and upend any and all perceptions about what the journey to awareness is. Windows to the Soul is a collection of revelations the author experienced over a period of many years. The author writes, “I simply wrote them down when they arose. Each one accompanied an often huge inner shift and awareness in my consciousness and my living. Each one has changed me beyond recognition. They are, in fact, who I am and who I continue to become.” These wisdoms are meant to be pondered and experienced, slowly. One at a time. They create questions rather than answer them. They are openings into the reader’s own spaciousness. “…Who I continue to become…” These words are not one person’s words but describe a universal, pristine truth that there is no static “enlightenment” to reach. The wisdoms in this quiet gem mirror to readers their own revelations, those shifts that arise moment by moment, often unrecognized. We warmly invite you to enjoy Windows to the Soul. In it you will recognize your own adventure of living and being.

The Complete Prayers of St. Francis and St. Clare, with Selections from Brother Juniper, St. Anthony of Padua, and Other Early Franciscans We do not immediately associate Francis and Clare with prayer and praying. St. Francis, according to the most common legends, rarely sat still. St. Clare did, more so, but that was probably mostly because of the convent and the grille and the conventions of the time: she couldn’t be a walkabout friar. However, they did sit still. And they stood. And they danced. And they fasted. And they sang. In all these ways, Francis and Clare prayed for hours each day, as did the brothers and sisters who came after them on the Franciscan way. This prayer book gathers the stories and words of the prayer life and prayers of these remarkable Christians.

“Through narrative examples, the author describes “lament” as the act of bringing more of our lived experience into congregational and communal life”–

We have been considering the essence of Aquinas’ teachings about our spiritual journey toward wisdom and justice and compassion and away from dullness and indifference and, in his words, folly. He says: “Folly implies apathy in the heart and dullness in the senses…For sapiens (wise) as Isidore says ‘is so named from sapor (savor), because just as the taste is quick to distinguish between savors of meats, so too a wise person is quick in discerning things and causes.’ Thus it is clear that folly is opposed to wisdom as its contrary…the fool has the sense, though dulled, whereas the wise person has the sense acute and penetrating.”

This groundbreaking book shares the evolution of Cynthia Bourgeault’s spiritual journey and offers a new map to understanding energy and our collective reality. In Eye of the Heart, Cynthia Bourgeault investigates the imaginal realm–an energetic realm well known to the mystical traditions but often forgotten in our own times. It is invisible to the physical eye, but clearly perceptible through the eye of the heart. The imaginal realm has long been associated with the personal world of dreams, prophecy, and oracles, and it also points toward a higher vision of our human purpose that is both evolutionary and collective. Bourgeault explores both aspects of imaginal reality and shows readers how we can cooperate more fully with its guidance in our lives. Expertly blending her own lived experiences with research on the imaginal realm, Bourgeault explores how her personal relationships have helped to bring these teachings into sharper focus and the role this realm plays in Christian and other mystical traditions. She delves into the connections between our inner consciousness and what happens in the world, exploring the transformative energy and governing conventions that make the manifestation of this realm possible. Eye of the Heart presents Bourgeault’s spiritual journey with the imaginal realm and encourages readers to attune their hearts for the well-being of the world.

More than a decade ago, a group of researchers began to study the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. They tracked these young people over the course of a decade, revisiting them periodically to check in on the state -and future- of religion in America, and reporting on their findings in a series of books, beginning with Soul Searching (2005). Now, with Back-Pocket God, this mammoth research project comes to its conclusion. What have we learned about the changing shape of religion in America? Back-Pocket God explores continuity and change among young people from their teenage years through the latter stages of “emerging adulthood.” Melinda Lundquist Denton and Richard Flory find that the story of young adult religion is one of an overall decline in commitment and affiliation, and in general, a moving away from organized religion. Yet, there is also a parallel trend in which a small, religiously committed group of emerging adults claim faith as an important fixture in their lives. Emerging adults don’t seem so much opposed to religion or to religious organizations, at least in the abstract, as they are uninterested in religion, at least as they have experienced it. Religion is like an app on the ubiquitous smartphones in our back pockets: readily accessible, easy to control, and useful-but only for limited purposes. Denton and Flory show that some of the popular assumptions about young people and religion are not as clear as what many people seem to believe. The authors challenge the characterizations of religiously unaffiliated emerging adults -sometimes called “religious nones”- as undercover atheists. At the other end of the spectrum, they question the assumption that those who are not religious will return to religion once they marry and have children.

Inspirational Prayers for Spiritual Wellness “Becca Anderson’s daily devotional is designed to quiet you down and create a space for peace and the nurturance of your soul…”—Spirituality & Practice Magazine Calming Prayer. Becca Anderson, bestselling author of the motivational books Prayers for Hard Times and The Woman’s Book of Prayer, brings us a new, up and coming classic, Prayers for Calm. Becca learned the power of healing prayer firsthand from pastors in her family who pray with their congregation as well as from working with Dr. Larry Dossey, a physician who prayed for his patients to great effect, leading to his book Prayer is Good Medicine. Through a mix of Bible verses, prayers for tranquility, quotes for quietude and peaceful poems, Prayers for Calm offers solace and serenity for every day of the year. Ancient Wisdom. The collection of spiritual pieces in Prayers for Calm is from centuries’ worth of wisdom and is meant to bring direction back into what may be a chaotic time. The hope is that these words from people who have experienced similar feelings will speak to your soul and help you get back on the path to spiritual wellness and healing. Prayers for Calm is the perfect inspirational gift or encouragement gift. This book will help you: Slow your racing mind in this fast-paced world Calm your thoughts enough to see the big picture in overwhelming situations Assert control over your mind and believe in yourself Overcome nagging worries and fears that hold you back from life Deepen your connection to spiritual serenity Discover meditative mantras and actualizing affirmations to reduce your anxiety If you liked Pocket Prayers, I’ve Been Thinking… or Prayers that Activate Blessings, you’ll love Prayers for Calm.

This book is a program of contemplative study and monastic formation offered for explorers who are between religions, those who have abandoned faith but yet seek, those who are interspiritual or multi-religious, or those who are rooted in their faith tradition and are on the edge of going deeper. This is both path and accompaniment for the journey, offering a contemplative frame and everyday spiritual practices for all who have a dawning sense that at the heart of all religious and spiritual traditions lies a truth-we have what we need inside each of us to co-create with God the embodiment of a sacred life on Earth. Included are spiritual practices, journal reflections, meditative exercises, and examples of a daily schedule, personal vow, rule of life, and ceremony of profession that stabilize andaffirm a new monastic way of life.

Suffering is hard and painful. Although we do not wish it for ourselves or those we love, it is an inescapable reality of the human condition. While it can cause us to wither and despair, suffering can also be a path to insight, strength, and compassion. Welcome your meditations into the company of Pico Iyer, Thich Nhat Hanh, James Martin, Richard Rohr, Joyce Rupp, Kate Bowler, Pema Chödrön, and Henri Nouwen among others.

Casper ter Kuile, a Harvard Divinity School fellow and cohost of the popular Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast, explores how we can nourish our souls by transforming common, everyday practices—yoga, reading, walking the dog—into sacred rituals that can heal our crisis of social isolation and struggle to find purpose—a message we need more than ever for our spiritual and emotional well-being in the age of COVID-19. “After half a decade of research and hundreds of conversations with people around the country, I am convinced we are in the midst of a paradigm shift. That what used to hold us in community no longer works, and that the spiritual offerings of yesteryear no longer help us thrive.”–Casper ter Kuile What do Soul Cycle, gratitude journals, and tech breaks have in common? For ter Kuile they offer rituals that create the foundation for our modern spiritual lives. We are in crisis today. Our modern technological society has left too many of us—no matter our ages—feeling isolated and bereft of purpose. Previous frameworks for building community and finding meaning no longer support us. Yet ter Kuile reveals a hopeful new message: we might not be religious, but that doesn’t mean we are any less spiritual. Instead, we are in the midst of a paradigm shift in which we seek belonging and meaning in secular practices. Today, we find connection in: CrossFit and SoulCycle, which offer a sense of belonging rooted in accountability and support much like church groups Harry Potter and other beloved books that offer universal lessons Gratitude journals, which have replaced traditional prayer Tech breaks, which provide mindful moments of calm In The Power of Ritual, ter Kuile invites us to deepen these ordinary practices as intentional rituals that nurture connection and wellbeing. With wisdom and endearing wit, ter Kuile’s call for ritual is ultimately a call to heal our loss of connection to ourselves, to others, and to our spiritual identities. The Power of Ritual reminds us that what we already do every day matters—and has the potential to become a powerful experience of reflection, sanctuary, and meaning.

52 weeks of yoga practice, wisdom, and ritual to help you slow down, restore balance, and nourish mind, body, and spirit. Sequenced by the astrological calendar, The Yoga Almanac is a practical guide to help you reintegrate with recurring cosmic rhythms, and invite the sacred into your life through learning, movement, breath, and ritual. Featuring 52 seasonally-themed chapters, the Almanac is a comprehensive jumping off point to deepen your relationship to yoga—and to yourself. Each chapter includes a seasonal theme with an overview of yogic theory, as well as an illustrated asana to begin the physical exploration of your practice. You’ll also find weekly rituals to integrate these teachings into your daily life, and a short dharma talk as reference and nod to tradition. Finally, this unique, holistic handbook will help you develop a transformational practice that flows with the cycles of the astrological year—beginning with spring and culminating in winter. Whether you’re looking for weekly inspiration, a crash course in yogic theory, or a blueprint for developing your own yoga routine, The Yoga Almanac provides a foundation for reconnecting with the deepest parts of yourself and discovering your authentic place in the world.

American Christian spirituality is undergoing a great turning, one that will require full on personal and social examination, a quieter contemplative attention, and lifestyle risks that many will find… awkward. In this often lonely adventure of life it’s in the awkward where we’ll find ourselves surprisingly met with the sacred transformative companionship we’re looking for.In his work among Denver’s chronically unhoused and pastoring the lonely among a dramatically shifting culture, Ryan Taylor, invites the reader into a fresh vision of hope. Awkward Spirituality draws on hilariously awkward personal experiences as well as the wisdom of ancient and contemporary wisdom teachers such as Thomas Merton and Mary Oliver to illuminate a more participative and contemplative practice of everyday living.

Why You’re Still Stuck is the definitive guide for getting unstuck and waking up. It offers practical approaches to transformation, embodiment, and shadow work that integrates holistic perspectives from somatic therapy, mindfulness, and spirituality to help you get unstuck and become enlightened along the way. Drew Gerald grounds spiritual truth in philosophies and exercises that help where traditional self-help fails. From the Publisher: “Drew Gerald’s practical and applicable book on transformation, embodiment, healing, and shadow work offers a divergent view on self-help and spiritual awakening – unlike anything we’ve read before. It forces us to stop and take an unusually deep look in the mirror and question our reasons for not being and having what we want. His words invite us into a new paradigm of self-awareness and complete honesty, where freedom is found by feeling and truth reigns high. Integrating holistic philosophies from transpersonal psychology, somatic therapy, mindfulness, and spirituality – Why You’re Still Stuck delivers a hard-hitting, refreshing approach for overcoming our greatest challenge: ourselves. This book is essential for anyone looking for a grounded, no-fluff guide to conscious transformation, stuck or not.” Have you ever wondered, “Why am I still stuck despite all the inner work I’ve done?” If you’re confused and frustrated—despite all you know and achieved, or how much you’ve worked on yourself… Because you feel like: You should be further along or already past this You could be expressing yourself more fully in life You shouldn’t be repeating the same cycles again and again Your success in relationships, career, health, & spirit should match …and are ready to break‐through once and for all—this may be the most important book you’ll ever read. Stop and imagine how your life would look in just a year, if today you were able to: Break-through that plateau in your sport, art, craft, yoga practice, or meditation Reach your potential and move past career or financial ceilings, and creative blocks Know how to attract the right people or circumstances without second-guessing Relax into the peace and freedom from not having to fix everything about yourself Eliminate anxiety, fear, codependency, insecurity and start fully experiencing life …would you be willing to hear about unconventional solutions that helped thousands of others? A fraction of what you will learn from each chapter: How the story you tell yourself keeps you stuck and what you’re missing out on The most efficient “level” to focus on for change never addressed in self-help A math formula that reveals why things get worse the harder you try Why your fast intellect may be slowing you down, and the benefits of intelligence Common narcissistic traps that keep us from being supported and told the truth The paradox of why seeking a spiritual path leads to more suffering, not less What you are secretly avoiding or not allowing that stifles your progress The truth about how we get trapped in victim mentality and what to do to heal The solution to addiction, or, why personal development and self-help is failing you An eternal truth that illuminates the startling connection between all our behaviors “That wasn’t my intention”—why you keep getting the wrong results from the right actions How to get feedback from others and the space around you to break-through How to make sure you’re living for something greater than your ego so you can thrive Overcome duality and win the war against our darkest and most undesirable parts The most obvious, simple, yet enigmatic action to take that everyone over-complicates Learn the secrets of the now and embody a vision that will come true Discover the somatic solution to being in your head based on Cinesomatics® What five things we must hold steadfast in our life for success, joy, and healing Practical, Applicable, Grounded Straight-Talk This is for those with a sincere interest in taking ownership of their life and waking up. If you are looking for a motivational, inspirational book padded with stories, this is not it. But if you’re ready to see the truth about why you’re stuck and have an open-mind towards sincere healing—order this book now and break-through today.

What is holding you back in life? No matter your circumstances! No matter where you are in life! No matter your age! God wants you to move FORWARD! Beloved Bible teacher and New York Times Bestselling Author, Dr. David Jeremiah reveals his personal approach to life and how to find the presence and purpose of God in your future! This book is a master class in how to live fearlessly and get your life in focus! The inspirational content gives you practical biblical insight into the “what’s next” in your life. Learn how God wants to expand your dream, give you divine direction, plant within you a life purpose, equip you with tools to overcome fear, grant you great personal accomplishment, and find a mission that will outlive your life! Don’t get stuck in your past failures or sins or allow present circumstances to keep you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. Let Forward be the step-by-step plan of action you’ve needed to move past where you are to where you want to be. Find joy in pursuing the next steps God has for you and move FORWARD!

The Good Life takes readers to the teachings of Jesus in the Beatitudes, showing that the happiness we are all exhausting ourselves to find is not as satisfying as the happiness we were created to receive.

Based on the #1 New York Times bestseller The Untethered Soul, this guided journal offers powerful new practices for inspiration, freedom, and joy. In this beautiful guided journal, you’ll find brand-new exercises and prompts paired with original passages from The Untethered Soul. These prompts encourage you to fully relate Michael A. Singer’s teachings to your personal experiences, allowing you to dive into the teachings and make them a part of your daily life. You’ll also discover practices to help you gain distance from your noisy mind, tap into the deeper awareness that is your true essence, and work through the negative emotions that limit your potential. Grounded in traditions of meditation and mindfulness, the new exercises in this transformational journal will show you how to live more fully in the present moment, and achieve lasting joy and self-realization. If you’re ready to open the door to limitless possibilities, The Untethered Soul Guided Journal will lead you to a richer understanding of your relationship to your mind, emotions, and inner energies. And by letting go of difficult past experiences you’ve held within yourself, you’ll learn to access the profound happiness of your true, innermost Self.

From one of most prominent figures in the field of meditation comes a guidebook for how to use mindfulness to build our inner strength, find balance, and help create a better world. In today’s fractured world, we’re constantly flooded with breaking news that causes anger, grief, and pain. People are feeling more stressed out than ever, and in the face of this fear and anxiety they can feel so burnt out and overwhelmed that they end up frozen in their tracks and unable to do anything. In Real Change, Sharon Salzberg, a leading expert in lovingkindness meditation, shares sage advice and indispensable techniques to help free ourselves from these negative feelings and actions. She teaches us that meditation is not a replacement for action, but rather a way to practice generosity with ourselves and summon the courage to break through boundaries, reconnect to a movement that’s bigger than ourselves, and have the energy to stay active. Consulting with veteran activists and social-change agents in a variety of fields, Salzberg collects and shares their wisdom and offers the best practical advice to foster transformation in both ourselves and in society. To help tame our inner landscape or chaos, Salzberg offers mindfulness practices that will help readers cultivate a sense of agency and stay engaged in the long-term struggle for social change. Whether you’re resolving conflicts with a crotchety neighbor or combating global warming, Real Change will provide the fundamental principles and mindfulness practices to help guide you to the clarity and confidence to lift a foot and take the next step into a better world.

Loneliness has reached epidemic proportions, according to many sources. In an age of mobility and fraying civic life, we are all susceptible to its power. But what if loneliness is a necessary part of the human condition? What if it is a current that leads us deeper into belonging–to ourselves, to each other, and to God? In The Great Belonging, writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon reframes loneliness and offers us a language for the disquiet within. Instead of turning away from the waters of loneliness for fear they will engulf us, she invites us to wade in and see what we find there. In vulnerable, thoughtful prose, Donlon helps us understand our own occasional or frequent loneliness and offers touchpoints for understanding alienation. We can live into the persistent questions of loneliness. We can notice God’s presence even when we feel alone in our doubts. Ultimately, Donlon claims, we can find connection that emerges from honesty, and she offers tools, resources, and practices for transforming loneliness into true belonging.

A natural design for living well. American psychologist Edward O. Wilson popularised the term Biophilia – meaning a “love of nature” and a need to connect to the natural world – in the 1980s, after observing how increasing rates of urbanization were leading to people feeling a disconnect from the natural world. We all need biophilia in our lives, and here author Sally Coulthard demonstrates how best to incorporate the fundamentals into everyday life. Examining the branches of a “biophilic home”, the ten inspiring chapters incorporate science, psychology and practical deecor advice for making positive and accessible changes in the home or at work. Chapters include: Air & Temperature – why heat and airflow matter in a healthy home; Forms & Patterns – how to take inspiration from nature to decorate your home; Light & Rhythms – creating spaces to enhance the natural rhythm of passing seasons, plentiful daylight and dark nights; Materials & Decor – importance of using minimally processed material to reflect local ecology; Color – how to use tones and shades that compliment or contrast.

“In challenging times (like the ones we’re living in right now), spiritual practice isn’t a luxury, it’s an absolute necessity. Now, expert teacher Philip Goldberg offers a hands-on guide based on his decades of scholarship and practical experience, giving readers a wide range of tools and techniques-from meditation to cognitive reframing to “spiritual space management”-to relieve their minds and refresh their souls. Thorough, nuanced, and substantive, and at the same time concise, breezy, and easy to digest, Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times is chock full of instructions, guidelines, exercises, and recommendations. But no one-size-fits-all formulas. The book respects spiritual independence and aims to help readers make discerning choices when navigating the spiritual marketplace. It draws from authoritative texts and teachers from every spiritual tradition, especially the empirical methods of the yoga tradition. It also brings in contemporary experience, psychological insights, and scientific research. Effective spiritual practices provide not only refuge and healing in crazy times, Phil explains. They also give us a solid foundation for robust action to manage-and combat-the madness. At the moment this book hits the shelves in the summer of 2020, many readers may feel an acute, specific need for the relief it brings. But the resources it offers will sustain us long past that, through all the crazy times to come”–

Bruce Lee’s daughter illuminates her father’s most powerful life philosophies—demonstrating how martial arts are a perfect metaphor for personal growth, and how we can practice those teachings every day. “Empty your mind; be formless, shapeless like water.” Bruce Lee is a cultural icon, renowned the world over for his martial arts and film legacy. But Lee was also a deeply philosophical thinker, learning at an early age that martial arts are more than just an exercise in physical discipline—they are an apt metaphor for living a fully realized life. Now, in Be Water, My Friend, Lee’s daughter Shannon shares the concepts at the core of his philosophies, showing how they can serve as tools of personal growth and self-actualization. Each chapter brings a lesson from Bruce Lee’s teachings, expanding on the foundation of his iconic “be water” philosophy. Over the course of the book, we discover how being like water allows us to embody fluidity and naturalness in life, bringing us closer to our essential flowing nature and our ability to be powerful, self-expressed, and free. Through previously untold stories from her father’s life and from her own journey in embodying these lessons, Shannon presents these philosophies in tangible, accessible ways. With Bruce Lee’s words as a guide, she encourages readers to pursue their essential selves and apply these ideas and practices to their everyday lives—whether in learning new things, overcoming obstacles, or ultimately finding their true path. Be Water, My Friend is an inspirational invitation to us all, a gentle call to action to consider our lives with new eyes. It is also a testament to how one man’s exploration and determination transcended time and place to ignite our imaginations—and to inspire many around the world to transform their lives.

Welcome to a system for evolving every aspect of your life through the five elements of Ayurveda Do you ever sense that there’s a gap between how you see your potential and how you actually live your day to day? If so, thought leader and wellness expert Cate Stillman has a breakthrough solution: an innovative, cutting-edge experience of the five elements of Ayurveda to accelerate living your potential. In Master of You, Cate imparts this ancient wisdom through a modern lens, providing a detailed map to accessing the powers inherent in earth, air, fire, water, and space to consciously construct and design your life. Master of You empowers your evolution by helping you activate the deeper dream of who you want to become next, unleashing the power of the five elements to shapeshift your dream into reality. You will design your home, your schedule, and your entire life in alignment with who you want to become next. Rather than quick fixes and life hacks, Cate offers element-by-element instruction to organize your home (space), optimize your biorhythms (earth), clarify your ambitions (fire), realign your time to hit your goals (air), and fall into a deep experience of integrity and flow in your daily life (water). With Cate’s guidance, you’ll steer in the direction of your deeper next purpose, raise the bar on your expectations, be the conscious creator of your future, and become the person you’ve always sensed you could be.

“[A] masterpiece.” —The Guardian “A good biography holds your attention; a great one transcends its subject and sheds light on the myriad forces bearing down on an individual at a particular point in time. Dorothy Day belongs, luminously, to the second [category].” —Los Angeles Review of Books “A vivid account of her political and religious development.” —Karen Armstrong, The New York Times “Reviving a voice for our times.” —Samantha Power, The Washington Post “Magisterial and glorious.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The first full authoritative biography of Dorothy Day: American icon, radical pacifist, Catholic convert, and advocate for the homeless whom Pope Francis I compared to Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln. After growing up in a conservative middle-class Republican household and working several years as a leftwing journalist, Dorothy Day converted to Catholicism and became an anomaly in American life for the next fifty years. As an orthodox Catholic, political radical, and a rebel who courted controversy, she attracted three generations of admirers. A believer in civil disobedience, Day went to jail several times protesting the nuclear arms race. She was critical of capitalism and US foreign policy, and as skeptical of modern liberalism as political conservatism. Her protests began in 1917, leading to her arrest during the suffrage demonstration outside President Wilson’s White House. In 1940 she spoke in Congress against the draft and urged young men not to register. She told audiences in 1962 that the US was as much to blame for the Cuban missile crisis as Cuba and the USSR. She refused to hear any criticism of the pope, though she sparred with American bishops and priests who lived in well-appointed rectories while tolerating racial segregation in their parishes. Dorothy Day is the exceptional biography of a dedicated modern-day pacifist, an outspoken advocate for the poor, and a lifelong anarchist. This definitive and insightful account is “a monumental exploration of the life, legacy, and spirituality of the Catholic activist” (Spirituality & Practice).

Light up your life—and your self —with this joy-filled guide to beauty, healing, and personal energy thatincludes delicious recipes, immune-strengthening wellness rituals, and practical steps for building a better world. Each page of this book is packed with inspiration and insights on the central role of energy in the way you look, feel, and experience life. Ignite Your Light guides you to seek more of what lights you up, to grow the resilience of your mind, body, emotions, and spirit, and to refresh your routine from sunrise to moonlight, featuring: Delicious recipes that support glowing skin and optimal health Fresh takes on self-care rituals, from yoga nidra to skin care as energy release Inspiration-packed profiles of the 13 leading factors that power your inner light Simple shifts that improve your long-term health and happiness via your mindset, actions, environment, and relationships Filled with colorful illustrations and photos, Ignite Your Light is both a beautiful and practical guide for anyone who wants to positively influence their own energy, grow the beauty in their daily life, and shine their light on the world around them.

A soothing Hebrew lullaby takes on added meaning for a refugee family in this visually stunning debut. As the moon rises, a family steps into the night on a journey toward a new beginning. Along the way, their little girl delights in the wonders of nature, saying good night–lilah tov–to the creatures and landscapes they pass. Wherever she looks–on land, in the sky above and even, eventually, in the water below her boat–there are marvels to behold. “Lilah tov to the birds in the trees, lilah tov to the fish in the sea.” Then, when their travels are finally over, her parents tuck her in tight, safe and ready for dreams in their new home. This lyrical lullaby celebrates the beauty of our world and the spirit of resilience in a refugee family.

When you make a mistake—a big mistake, a HUGE mistake—it can weigh you down or even swallow you whole! As one kid finds herself swept away by her whale of a mistake, she takes readers along on a journey of emotions. When the girl pauses to stare at the night sky, she realizes something important: there are as many mistakes in the world as stars in the sky, and maybe she can handle it after all. As the seemingly huge whale begins to shrink, the girl embraces her mistake and finds her way back to solid ground. Through clever wordplay and atmospheric art, this fantastical story shows that with a little time, perspective, and reflection, you can learn and move on from mistakes, no matter the size.

In God’s garden, Land, Plants, Earthworms, Children, and more proclaim that they are special and it is only fair that God should love them best. Includes note to parents and educators.

“Excellent and simple and as clear as a needed glass of water in the desert. I cannot think of a better companion for our current time.” – Katy Butler, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Dying Well All of us experience loss. Some of us have lost a spouse, or a child, our parents, a beloved pet, a dear friend, or neighbor. In the pandemic, we have lost hundreds of thousands of lives in the United States and around the world. Many of us have lost our livelihoods. All of us have lost our familiar daily routines and textures of work, family, and community. And the losses are not over. Opening to Grief is a companion to this tender time. With the demeanor and tone of a loving friend, the authors offer an invitation to grieve fully, to turn toward your emotions and experiences however they arise, and to follow your own path toward healing. The book explores the deep truth that grief and love are richly intertwined. Because we love, we grieve. And when we fully feel our sorrow, we open to loving ourselves and other beings more deeply.

An introductory guide to cultivating patience and opening your heart to difficult circumstances from leading Buddhist teacher, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. In the Buddhist tradition, “patience” is our mind’s ability to work positively with anything that bothers us—a vast spectrum of particulars that all boil down to not getting what we want or getting what we don’t want. In fluid, accessible language, Dzigar Kongtrul expands on teachings by the ancient sage Shantideva that contain numerous powerful and surprising methods for preventing our minds from becoming consumed by what bothers us—especially in anger. The result of practicing patience is a state of mind where we can feel at home in every situation and be fully available to love and care for others. Patience is the lifeblood of a peaceful heart.

A calming collection of nature poems to help you relax and unwind at the end of every day.

How the moments that make us go “Wow!” can make lasting and positive improvements to our health, relationships, and everyday lives. What do you feel when you gaze up at the Milky Way, see a beautiful rainbow, or stand before a mountain that seems impossibly high? Often it’s a profound sense of awe, the overwhelming feeling we experience when we encounter something vast that transcends our understanding. Awe-inspiring moments are all around us, ranging from the grand to the commonplace, and can hold a key to a happy, meaningful, and healthy life. Awestruck serves as a guide to help you tap into the powerful, life-changing benefits of awe. Beginning with a comprehensive explanation of the emotion, Jonah Paquette introduces us to the power of awe and how it can help alleviate struggles in our modern life, including stress, social isolation, and time pressure. Continuing with over 60 practices, this book provides an accessible and tangible path to bring more wonder into your everyday life. Awestruck shows us how to reclaim space for moments of reverence and ultimately find more joy and fulfillment in our lives.

Moon Bath a luxurious guide that invites readers to immerse themselves in the healing powers of nature. This transformative book features 16 bath and shower rituals aligned with the lunar cycles and the natural rhythms of the cosmos. Organized by moon cycle—New Moon, Waxing Moon, Waning Moon, and Full Moon—each ritual includes a bath recipe featuring healing natural ingredients. • Includes affirmations and meditations • Journaling prompts promote reflection and self-discovery. • Filled with lush, nature-inspired photography Brimming with Ayurvedic wisdom and plant-based medicine, Moon Bath is a lovely companion for modern mystics, wellness enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to wash away the stresses of daily life. Bath recipes include ginger and baking soda for detoxification, cacao and rose to cultivate love, eucalyptus and bentonite clay to release negativity, and chamomile and lavender to connect to deep wisdom. • This beautiful guide to bathing rituals and bath recipes makes it easy to incorporate calming and enriching self-care practices into everyday life. • Perfect for women who love self-care, meditation, yoga, crystals, and those interested in Ayurveda • You’ll love this book if you love books like Crystal Muse: Everyday Rituals to Tune In to the Real You by Heather Askinosie and Timmi Jandro; The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide to Ancient Self-Care by Emma Loewe and Lindsay Kellner; and Lunar Abundance: Cultivating Joy, Peace, and Purpose Using the Phases of the Moon by Ezzie Spencer.

What is materiality? Jesus practiced materiality when he healed the bodies of the sick, proclaimed Jubilee to the poor, and fed the five thousand. He practiced materiality over materialism. In Materiality as Resistance, Walter Brueggemann defines materiality as the use of the material aspects of the Christian faith, as opposed to materialism, which places possessions and physical comfort over spiritual values. In this concise volume, Brueggemann lays out how we as Christians may reengage our materiality for the common good. How does materiality inform our faith when it comes to food, money, the body, time, and place? How does it force us to act? Likewise, how is the church obligated to use its time, money, abundance of food, the care and use of our bodies, observance of Sabbath, and stewardship of our world and those with whom we share it? With a foreword from Jim Wallis, Materiality as Resistance serves as a manifesto of Walter Brueggemann’s most important work and as an engaging call to action. It is suited for group or individual study.

In Sacred Balance, certified yoga instructor and spirituality blogger Melinda Emily Thomas helps you align body and spirit through two timeless traditions–Benedictine spirituality and yoga practice. Spirituality in the Benedictine Way offers the commitments of listening, stability, conversion, humility, and hospitality. These root our values and help us choose how to spend our time, devote our energy, and craft relationships. Yoga offers physical postures to bring those principles into body and spirit by relieving pain and stress and helping us gain strength and flexibility. These practices combine to create a powerful blend of body and spirit–one that promises healing and connection to God. Studded with illustrations of basic yoga poses and ideas for wellness, prayers, and meditations, Sacred Balance offers principles and practices that guide us toward peace and wholeness.

A rediscovered treasure for a new generation: the first and only story for children ever written by Alan Watts. Alan Watts, beloved for bringing a childlike wonder to the spiritual journey, once wrote a story for children. The Fish Who Found the Sea brings this delightful and wise parable to life for a new generation. Presented with new art from award-winning illustrator Khoa Le, here is a story as timely as it is entertaining—sharing a key message about getting into harmony with the flow of life. In this tale of a tail, we meet a fish with a curiously familiar problem—he’s gotten himself so mixed up that he spends all his time chasing himself in circles! Only the Great Sea knows how to help our poor fish get out of the mess he’s created with his own runaway thoughts. Here is a parable that perfectly captures the wit and wisdom that have made Alan Watts a timeless teacher we will never outgrow.

A powerful personal journey to find meaning and life lessons in the words of a wildly popular 13th century poet. Rumi’s inspiring and deceptively simple poems have been called ecstatic, mystical, and devotional. To writer and activist Melody Moezzi, they became a lifeline. In The Rumi Prescription, we follow her path of discovery as she translates Rumi’s works for herself – to gain wisdom and insight in the face of a creative and spiritual roadblock. With the help of her father, who is a lifelong fan of Rumi’s poetry, she immerses herself in this rich body of work, and discovers a 13th-century prescription for modern life. Addressing isolation, distraction, depression, fear, and other everyday challenges we face, the book offers a roadmap for living with intention and ease, and embracing love at every turn–despite our deeply divided and chaotic times. Most of all, it presents a vivid reminder that we already have the answers we seek, if we can just slow down to honor them. • You went out in search of gold far and wide, but all along you were gold on the inside. • Become the sky and the clouds that create the rain, not the gutter that carries it to the drain. • You already own all the sustenance you seek. If only you’d wake up and take a peek. • Quit being a drop. Make yourself an ocean.

How can we meet God in our everyday lives? In Earth, Our Original Monastery, Christine Valters Paintner, bestselling author and online abbess for Abbey of the Arts, shares how living contemplatively with an appreciation for the natural world can make you more aware of the presence of God in every aspect of your life. She explores monks, mystics, and saints who have experienced the goodness of the Divine in nature and invites you to find solace and spiritual revelation in the wonder of God’s creation. The purpose of contemplative living, Christine Valters Paintner suggests, is to allow you to integrate the pieces of your life within yourself, in your community, and in the world around you. When you pay attention to each moment, you nurture your ability to see God’s actions in those moments. In Earth, Our Original Monastery, Paintner invites you to begin the journey of contemplative living by focusing on the image of the earth as your original monastery–the place where you learn your most fundamental prayers, participate in each day’s liturgy of praise, and experience the wisdom of the seasons. Paintner provides seven ways of seeing the earth in light of faith and pairs each one with a practical invitation to a practice. These include: the earth as original cathedral–where you first learn to worship and feel God’s presence around us, paired with the practice of stability the earth as original saints–plants and animals live their calling without trying to be something they’re not and inspire you to do the same, paired with the practice of gratitude the earth as original icon–nature can serve as a window to the holy in the same way that icons do, paired with the practice of lament As you explore what these connections between the earth and faith mean for how to see God in the world around you, you can also look at saints and mystics who experienced nature and the flow of the divine in similar ways.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Over two million copies sold! “Packed with incredible insight about what it means to be a woman today.”—Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine Book Pick) In her most revealing and powerful memoir yet, the activist, speaker, bestselling author, and “patron saint of female empowerment” (People) explores the joy and peace we discover when we stop striving to meet others’ expectations and start trusting the voice deep within us. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY O: The Oprah Magazine • The Washington Post • Cosmopolitan • Marie Claire • Bloomberg • Parade • “Untamed will liberate women—emotionally, spiritually, and physically. It is phenomenal.”—Elizabeth Gilbert, author of City of Girls and Eat Pray Love This is how you find yourself. There is a voice of longing inside each woman. We strive so mightily to be good: good partners, daughters, mothers, employees, and friends. We hope all this striving will make us feel alive. Instead, it leaves us feeling weary, stuck, overwhelmed, and underwhelmed. We look at our lives and wonder: Wasn’t it all supposed to be more beautiful than this? We quickly silence that question, telling ourselves to be grateful, hiding our discontent—even from ourselves. For many years, Glennon Doyle denied her own discontent. Then, while speaking at a conference, she looked at a woman across the room and fell instantly in love. Three words flooded her mind: There She Is. At first, Glennon assumed these words came to her from on high. But she soon realized they had come to her from within. This was her own voice—the one she had buried beneath decades of numbing addictions, cultural conditioning, and institutional allegiances. This was the voice of the girl she had been before the world told her who to be. Glennon decided to quit abandoning herself and to instead abandon the world’s expectations of her. She quit being good so she could be free. She quit pleasing and started living. Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call. It is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is the story of navigating divorce, forming a new blended family, and discovering that the brokenness or wholeness of a family depends not on its structure but on each member’s ability to bring her full self to the table. And it is the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts so that we become women who can finally look at ourselves and say: There She Is. Untamed shows us how to be brave. As Glennon insists: The braver we are, the luckier we get.

Drawing from her fascinating life experience and therapy practice, Farzaneh Guillebeaux offers an amazing blending of psychotherapy tools and spiritual teachings to help readers find joy and self-fulfillment, regardless of race, gender, or background. As a young Iranian student in the United States, Fafar was swept off her feet by an African-American in the 1960s, thrown into the belly of racism, and changed forever through the combined power of psychotherapy and spiritual transformation. She shares her journey here; throughout this book, Fafar expresses her love for the reader through her openness and authenticity, humor, and a personal narrative of her own struggles, pain, and inner process. Here, Fafar weaves the forces of spirituality together with a wealth of invocations from Bahá’i writings, professional expertise grounded in years of experience as a therapist, and profound lived experience on her own journey to knowing and loving herself-and applies this knowledge to the personal issues that challenge us all. This book offers wise and tested practical strategies and deep insights, bathed in her love of humanity and belief in its inherent goodness. The resulting tapestry is one which compels-and empowers-readers to embark on their journey to know and nurture their own self. The truths contained in this book are the truths that can set us all free.

Death is a taboo in most societies in the world. But what if we have got this completely wrong? What if death was not the catastrophe it is made out to be but an essential aspect of life, rife with spiritual possibilities for transcendence? For the first time, someone is saying just that. In this unique treatise-like exposition, Sadhguru dwells extensively upon his inner experience as he expounds on the more profound aspects of death that are rarely spoken about. From a practical standpoint, he elaborates on what preparations one can make for one’s death, how best we can assist someone who is dying and how we can continue to support their journey even after death. Whether a believer or not, a devotee or an agnostic, an accomplished seeker or a simpleton, this is truly a book for all those who shall die!

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From beloved astrologer Chani Nicholas comes an essential guide for radical self-acceptance. Your weekly horoscope is merely one crumb of astrology’s cake. In her first book You Were Born For This, Chani shows how your birth chart—a snapshot of the sky at the moment you took your first breath—reveals your unique talents, challenges, and opportunities. Fortified with this knowledge, you can live out the life you were born to. Marrying the historic traditions of astrology with a modern approach, You Were Born for This explains the key components of your birth chart in an easy to use, choose your own adventure style. With journal prompts, reflection questions, and affirmations personal to your astrological makeup, this book guides you along the path your chart has laid out for you. Chani makes the wisdom of your birth chart accessible with three foundational keys: The First Key: Your Sun (Your Life’s Purpose) The Second Key: Your Moon (Your Physical and Emotional Needs) The Third Key: Your Ascendant and Its Ruler (Your Motivation for Life and the Steersperson of Your Ship) Astrology is not therapy, but it is therapeutic. In a world in which we are taught to look outside of ourselves for validation, You Were Born for This brings us inward to commit to ourselves and our life’s purpose.

“Rev. Galen Guengerich, the charismatic, brilliant leader of one of the nation’s most prominent Unitarian congregations, All Souls Church, shares with readers his wisdom on how to lead a spiritual life through the practice of gratitude. When Guengerich was in his mid-twenties, he left the Conservative Mennonite Church, the faith of his upbringing. He was scared, but he needed to set out to find the way of life that was right for him. For Guengerich, transcendence is not limited to an experience of God but can be reached through gratitude’s ability to take us beyond ourselves and create connection to others and the universe. Through his personal story, poems that resonate with his spiritual message, and guided spiritual practices, including “gratitude goals,” this book helps readers discover how the way of gratitude can make them happier and healthier, and provide a new sense of belonging not only to the universe as a whole but also to themselves”–

The Divine CEO is a no-nonsense, pragmatic book about the hierarchy of spiritual ascent. It comes from the pen of acclaimed writer Geoff Thompson; former bouncer, world ranking martial arts guru, and BAFTA winning screenwriter. This is a masterclass on how to contract your ego, expand your conscious awareness, and build a powerful internal hierarchy, through mastery of mind, body and senses. For anyone looking to break their negative associations with the world and create a divine covenant with their Greatest Potential (their own internal Chief Executive Officer), this empirical, muscular and direct study of spiritual ascension is the perfect companion. It is the essence of the author’s fifty year apprenticeship in practical spirituality, and high end Budo martial arts.

Written in the stars–understanding astrology for beginners and longtime diviners Astrology has been used for thousands of years to help predict upcoming events, interpret the meaning of life, and interact more effectively with other people. Whether you’re new to the field, or have long been looking to the sky for answers, The Complete Guide to Astrology is the perfect way to understand how your stars align. Start with the basic elements of astrology like the signs, modalities, and houses. Then, learn how these factor specifically into your own birth chart. From there, detailed charts give you further insight into how to make conscious choices to live up to your highest potential. Inside The Complete Guide to Astrology, you’ll find: Stars among the stars–Includes astrological signs and even charts for some of the world’s most influential people. Astrology for all–Modern, inclusive language helps make interpreting the cosmos accessible to everyone. Yin and yang–Examine both the psychological, humanistic side of astrology as well as the ancient predictive techniques. Look to the stars and understand yourself, your signs, and your birth chart.