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Ritual, Heritage and Identity: The Politics of Culture and Performance in a Globalised World
by Christiane BrosiusThis book explores the importance of ritual and ritual theory to discourses of authenticity and originality, thereby deepening our insight into concepts of cultural heritage, identity and nation in a globalised world. The volume is the first interdisciplinary attempt to understand the significance of rituals and related performative traditions in the creation of grounded cultural identities, ‘home’ and heritage as geographically experienceable locations. It assembles perspectives from social and cultural anthropology, performance studies, education and arts that can deal with the politics of revitalisation and preservation of ritualised traditions. While some chapters in this book emphasise on the ritualisation of cultural heritage by concentrating on power relations and politics, as well as actual processes of identification, especially for marginalised ethnic groups or migrant communities, others explore how rituals as intangible heritage are strategically employed by different groups all over the world to make their claims public and to improve and negotiate their position on a local, national or global platform. This book recognises ritualised performances as transnational and cross-cultural phenomena, which are not only tied to and defined via national territories and identities but which also demand new theoretical and methodological approaches towards the discussion of rituals and heritage.
Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living
by Dimitris XygalatasA pioneering anthropologist takes readers on a 'fascinating, well-researched' (Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE) journey through the rich tapestry of human ritual—showing how and why our most irrational behaviors are a key driver of our success." Ritual is one of the oldest, and certainly most enigmatic, threads in the history of human culture. It presents a profound paradox: people ascribe the utmost importance to their rituals, but few can explain why they are so important. Apparently pointless ceremonies pervade every documented society, from handshakes to hexes, hazings to parades. Before we ever learned to farm, we were gathering in giant stone temples to perform elaborate rites and ceremonies. And yet, though rituals exist in every culture and can persist nearly unchanged for centuries, their logic has remained a mystery—until now. In Ritual, pathfinding scientist Dimitris Xygalatas leads us on an enlightening tour through this shadowy realm of human behavior. Armed with cutting-edge technology and drawing on discoveries from a wide range of disciplines, he presents a powerful new perspective on our place in the world. In birthday parties and coronations, in silent prayer, in fire-walks and terrifying rites of passage, in all the bewildering variety of human life, Ritual reveals the deep and subtle mechanisms that bind us together.
Ritual: Magical Celebrations of Nature and Community from Around the World
by Nikki Van De CarFrom the bestselling author of Practical Magic comes an inspiring, illustrated collection of magical celebrations of nature from around the world—with rituals for incorporating them into your own practice. Nature is what gives us life—it is the source of all magic and power in the world. That is something that humans have understood since the beginning of time, and it is a constant among cultures around the world. However, the ways in which we celebrate it can vary wildly. Bulgarian Baba Marta Day welcomes the arrival of Spring with Martenitsas, little talismans of red and white string, while in Southeast Asia, that same yearly event is celebrated during Holi, a joyful, riotous dance of colors. Yalda, Soyal, Saturnalia, Dong Zhi, and St.Lucia's Day (from Iran, Arizona, Ancient Rome, China, and Scandinavia) are all very different—but they all honor the Winter Solstice. Each of these celebrations is a ritual, a form of magic created by community and tradition. And while their differences can help us understand their various cultural identities, their similarities can create a bond that reaches across space and time. In this beautifully illustrated book from bestselling magical author Nikki Van De Car readers will learn the history and meaning behind 40 of these ritual celebrations, organized by season. Each ritual will include suggestions for participating in and appreciating these storied rituals, while honoring their origins and the cultures from which they come.
Ritualisierende Agency in Todesritualen: Eine Untersuchung der Positionierung(en) von gemeinschaftsungebundenen Ritualleiter*innen in der Deutschschweiz (Veröffentlichungen der Sektion Religionssoziologie der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie)
by Lilo RutherIn diesem Open-Access-Buch werden anhand von ethnographischen Fallbeobachtungen mit16 Ritualleiter*innen folgende Fragen beantwortet Wie positionieren sich Leitende von Todesritualen, die ausserhalb einer religiösen Gemeinschaft in der Deutschschweiz stattfinden? Welches Selbstbild vertreten die Ritualleiter*innen? Welche Aufgaben verbinden sie mit ihrer Tätigkeit? Wem sprechen sie Handlungs- und Wirkmächtigkeit (Agency) zu? Welche Themen und Konzepte sind für ihr Handeln und Erleben zentral? An welche kollektiven Sinngehalte (Deutungsmuster) schließen sie dabei an? Methodisch verortet sich die Arbeit in der Rekonstruktiven Sozialforschung. Dabei orientiert sie sich an Narrationsanalyse, Grounded Theory und Qualitativer Agencyforschung. Theoretisch knüpft die Studie an Konzepte von 'Ritualisierungen' und 'Agency' an, um auf empirischer Grundlage das Konzept der 'Ritualisierenden Agency' zu entwickeln: Durch die gewählten Formen der Ritualisierung im Umgang mit der Bestattung und der Begleitung der Angehörigen erlangen die Akteur*innen eigenständige Handlungsmächtigkeit und Verantwortlichkeit. Die Analysen zeigen, wie die Akteur*innen selbst ihre Handlungsspielräume und ihre eigene Teilhabe in den Interviews und in den Bestattungsritualen zum Ausdruck bringen.
Rituals For An Enchanted Life: Simple steps to make your world wonderful
by Lynn WilliamsMany people are searching for ways to bring richness and meaning back into their lives. Rituals provide powerful tools for doing this, and for facilitating personal transformation and spiritual development. As well as providing opportunities for peace and focus in a busy day, they encourage reconnection with the world around us, and with ourselves. Rituals for an Enchanted Life will help us to energise, connect with, process and release or anchor our thoughts and feelings. They include--Rituals for use at home, creating sanctuaries, attracting positive energies --Ways to create magical places - using altars as personal 'power points'--Empowering rituals for improving relationships, for enhancing or changing them --Ways to release negativity and achieve personal goals--Rituals for use at work, in the office, and throughout the year-
Rituals and Music in Europe: An ethnological study through data analytics (New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion #13)
by Daniel BurgosThis book explores modern European religious and non-religious rituals and their main features by focusing on music as a key element required for the full expression of beliefs. It specifically examines the relationship between religious, non-religious, pagan, cultural, celebratory, and traditional rituals. In doing so, this text focuses on the extent to which the rituals overlap, replace, or feed religious or pseudo-religious beliefs to create alternative beliefs (individual or collective) that systematically ignore any religion. The book further analyses the relationship between daily habits, holidays, sports, politics, culture, and other pagan rituals as forms that represent social feelings by identifying, enjoying, or impersonating emotions; and transversally, it explores how music facilitates and fosters those emotions. The volume also investigates how rituals coexist and mutually influence each other through a representation of religious and non-religious rituals, and how music plays a central role in that phenomenology. The author argues that music is a key part of various types of rituals (e.g. rites of passage), and that music supports and enriches the meaning of the ritual, to ultimately strengthen the bond of communication with the individual and the group. This monograph appeals to students and researchers working in religious studies and in music theory.
Rituals and Practices in World Religions: Cross-Cultural Scholarship to Inform Research and Clinical Contexts (Religion, Spirituality and Health: A Social Scientific Approach #5)
by David Bryce Yaden Yukun Zhao Kaiping Peng Andrew B. NewbergThis book codifies, describes, and contextualizes group rituals and individual practices from world religious traditions. At the interface of religious studies, psychology, and medicine, it elucidates the cultural richness of practices and rituals from numerous world religions. The book begins by discussing the role that religious rituals and practices may play in the well-being of humans and the multi-dimensional cultural and psychological complexity of religious rituals and practices. It then discusses rituals and practices within a number of religions, including Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, Taoist, Sikh, Hindu, Confucian, and other traditions. There is a need for a more inclusive collection of religious rituals and practices, as some practices are making headlines in contemporary society. Mindfulness is one of the fastest-growing psychological interventions in healthcare and Yoga is now practiced by tens of millions of people in the U.S.A. These practices have been examined in thousands of academic publications spanning neuroscience, psychology, medicine, sociology, and religious studies. While Mindfulness and Yoga have recently received widespread scientific and cultural attention, many rituals and practices from world religious traditions have remained underexplored in scholarly, scientific, and clinical contexts. This book brings more diverse rituals and practices into this academic discourse while providing a reference guide for clinicians and students of the topic.
Rituals and Practices with the Motherpeace Tarot
by Vicki NobleA spiritual guidance system with rituals to tap into and manifest feminine divine energy through the Motherpeace deck• Contains over 20 rituals, exercises, and readings that integrate tarot with spiritual practice, rites, and celebrations • Demonstrates how Motherpeace cards may be used to improve health, relationships, and personal insight; celebrate holidays; and commune with the divine forces of the universe • By the cocreator of the Motherpeace deck (more than 200,000 copies sold) First printed during the crest of the women’s spirituality movement, the Motherpeace deck created a sensation as a multicultural tarot designed specifically for women. Depicting people of color, older women, children, animals, and balanced roles for men and women, the Motherpeace deck embraces images from ancient cultures and contemporary tribal peoples to convey the fundamental principles of cooperation, relatedness, egalitarianism, and ecstatic communion. Rituals and Practices with the Motherpeace Tarot offers a deep spiritual practice that taps into and manifests the divine feminine through ritual readings, rites of passage, daily meditative practice, and seasonal celebration. Vicki Noble teaches how to use the imagery of the Motherpeace deck to read the past, present, and future; invoke good health on all planes; nurture healthy relationships; receive divine guidance during critical decision-making; and celebrate sacred holidays. Her book is a useful tool for both beginners and those with extensive knowledge of tarot.
Rituals for Beginners: Simple Ways to Connect to Your Spiritual Side
by Richard WebsterDiscover simple, meaningful rituals you can use to enrich your life in ways large and small. Join renowned author Richard Webster as he shares ideas for honoring important transitions such as birth and marriage and for practicing uplifting habits like forgiveness, gratitude, and blessings. Explore tips for making everyday tasks into moments of spiritual connection. Celebrate the changing seasons, develop a closer relationship with the divine, or create your own rituals based on your innermost feelings and desires. Rituals for Beginners also includes techniques for gaining newfound prosperity and attracting the life you want as you perform ceremonies infused with spiritual meaning.
Rituals for Life: A guide to creating meaningful rituals inspired by nature
by Isla MacleodRituals are among the most powerful tools we have to create meaning and cultivate wellbeing in our lives. In Rituals for Life, you can learn to live a more intentional life, enriched by your connection with nature. The book explores the essential components of ritual and how to use them to bring happiness and inner peace into your every day life. Includes instructions for twenty rituals, some for every day and others for specific moments and occasions, that you can adapt for your own needs, as well as an exploration of the roots and purposes of ritual. Beautifully illustrated by Luisa Rivera, this inspiring book is a guide more authentic and soulful way of living.
Rituals for Life: A guide to creating meaningful rituals inspired by nature
by Isla MacleodRituals are among the most powerful tools we have to create meaning and cultivate wellbeing in our lives. In Rituals for Life, you can learn to live a more intentional life, enriched by your connection with nature. The book explores the essential components of ritual and how to use them to bring happiness and inner peace into your every day life. Includes instructions for twenty rituals, some for every day and others for specific moments and occasions, that you can adapt for your own needs, as well as an exploration of the roots and purposes of ritual. Beautifully illustrated by Luisa Rivera, this inspiring book is a guide more authentic and soulful way of living.
Rituals for Magic and Meaning: Create Your Own Spiritual Ceremonies
by Cerridwen GreenleafSacred Living for Each SeasonCelebrate life: What is sacred living? It is aligning our living with the rhythms of the Earth and recognizing that those rhythms are deeply meaningful. It is living in the knowledge that we are part of something larger than ourselves. It is being grateful for life while we live it. The key to celebrating the abundance of life lies in the recognition that we are surrounded by all that is sacred. Organized by season, Rituals for Magic and Meaning offers a suggested ceremony for each day of the year and includes hundreds of simple rites, suggestions, meditations, and holiday celebrations that can make the ordinary extraordinary.Personalize your scared rituals: The culmination of a life’s work, author Cerridwen Greenleaf has poured her years of study into this guide to creating meaning in daily life. Rituals for Magic and Meaning fully explores the hows and whys behind ritual - allowing readers to truly master the art of creating personalized rituals. The author provides readers with a clear understanding of what makes up a ritual as well as detailed instruction on how to actually create rituals for personal growth. This book also gives readers a deeper awareness of the uses and applications of the art of rituals. Rituals for Magic and Meaning includes detailed information on: holiday rituals; seasonal rituals; designing original rituals; rites of passage and even life events such as birth, baby-naming, healing circles before surgery, “letting go” divorce rituals, graduation and weddings.Rituals for Magic and Meaning is an empowering and thought-provoking book that guides readers to the next level of their journey towards personal and spiritual growth.
Rituals of Care: Karmic Politics in an Aging Thailand
by Felicity AulinoEnd-of-life issues are increasingly central to discussions within medical anthropology, the anthropology of political action, and the study of Buddhist philosophy and practice. Felicity Aulino's Rituals of Care speaks directly to these important anthropological and existential conversations. Against the backdrop of global population aging and increased attention to care for the elderly, both personal and professional, Aulino challenges common presumptions about the universal nature of "caring." The way she examines particular sets of emotional and practical ways of being with people, and their specific historical lineages, allows Aulino to show an inseparable link between forms of social organization and forms of care.Unlike most accounts of the quotidian concerns of providing care in a rapidly aging society, Rituals of Care brings attention to corporeal processes. Moving from vivid descriptions of the embodied routines at the heart of home caregiving to depictions of care practices in more general ways—care for one's group, care of the polity—it develops the argument that religious, social, and political structures are embodied, through habituated action, in practices of providing for others. Under the watchful treatment of Aulino, care becomes a powerful foil for understanding recent political turmoil and structural change in Thailand, proving embodied practice to be a vital vantage point for phenomenological and political analyses alike.
Rituals of Celebration: Honoring the Seasons of Life through the Wheel of the Year
by Jane MeredithSacred CelebrationsCreate a deeper experience of the Wheel of the Year for yourself and your community. In Rituals of Celebration, author Jane Meredith provides lyrical accounts of the most memorable rituals she's organized, as well as how-to instructions for creating them. Inspired by Pagan, Druid, and Goddess traditions, the rituals are crafted to help us honor the changing seasons and to mark the important milestones of our personal journeys in a way that is relevant to contemporary life.Along with the rituals, you will discover craft projects that go hand-in-hand with each festival—perfect ideas for artistic expression whether you are practicing alone, with a group, or celebrating with children. With additional instructions for building an altar and other basic tasks, this guide includes everything you need to create celebrations that will resonate deeply within you, your family, and your life.Praise:"A generous book that gives from the heart and speaks to what is real in the celebration of the Wheel of the Year."—Dr. Tricia Szirom, author of Seasons of the Goddess
Rituals of the Soul: Using the 8 Ancient Principles of Yoga to Create a Modern & Meaningful Life
by Kori HahnPrepare for a Great Adventure: Your Daily Life Kori Hahn has always done life her way — living off the grid as a young woman in Alaska; studying with spiritual teachers and soul guides in Mexico, Sri Lanka, and Morocco; surfing around the world. Yet her primary, perennial quest has been an inner one. To that end, she evolved the practices she shares in this book, simple daily steps grounded in sacred yogic texts that will help you live your life your way, with maximum meaning and joy. Timeless principles of awareness, intuition, self-knowledge, and manifestation become contemporary practices incorporating visualization, breath work, journaling affirmations, and meditation. These habits of being grow the soul, enable our bravest and best selves, and, as Hahn shows, can take you wherever you most want to be.
Rival Hearts
by Tara RandelMolly Henderson and Ben Weaver have been rival magazine writers for the same publishing group for years. When both come up for the same promotion, they find themselves in an unexpected competition to win the spot. Molly, editor of Quilter's Heart, and Ben, editor of Outdoor Adventures, must switch roles, each working for the other for one month, then submit an article at the end of their quests.Can girly-girl Molly survive the outdoor adventures that Ben has planned? Can Ben navigate the perils of the social dynamics of quilting events without destroying a valuable quilt in one short month? More importantly, in this he-said, she-said situation, will Molly and Ben give in to their attraction and fall in love, no matter who wins?
Rival Hearts (Quilts of Love)
by Tara RandelMolly Henderson and Ben Weaver have been rival magazine writers for the same publishing group for years. When both come up for the same promotion, they find themselves in an unexpected competition to win the spot. Molly, editor of Quilter's Heart, and Ben, editor of Outdoor Adventures, must switch roles, each working for the other for one month, then submit an article at the end of their quests. Can girly-girl Molly survive the outdoor adventures that Ben has planned? Can Ben navigate the perils of the social dynamics of quilting events without destroying a valuable quilt in one short month? More importantly, in this he-said, she-said situation, will Molly and Ben give in to their attraction and fall in love, no matter who wins?
Rivals (7th Heaven)
by Amanda ChristieFor better or for worse, Mary and Lucy Camden have one thing in common: they're the oldest sisters in a huge, busy family! But sometimes the two of them hardly seem related: strong, independent Mary hangs out on the basketball court while sensitive, impulsive Lucy loves the mall. And when there's a cute guy involved, it's all-out war!
Rivals in the Gulf: Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Abdullah Bin Bayyah, and the Qatar-UAE Contest Over the Arab Spring and the Gulf Crisis (Islam in the World)
by David H. WarrenRivals in the Gulf: Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Abdullah Bin Bayyah, and the Qatar-UAE Contest Over the Arab Spring and the Gulf Crisis details the relationships between the Egyptian Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi and the Al Thani royal family in Qatar, and between the Mauritanian Shaykh Abdullah Bin Bayyah and the Al Nahyans, the rulers of Abu Dhabi and senior royal family in the United Arab Emirates. These relationships stretch back decades, to the early 1960s and 1970s respectively. Using this history as a foundation, the book examines the connections between Qaradawi’s and Bin Bayyah’s rival projects and the development of Qatar’s and the UAE’s competing state-brands and foreign policies. It raises questions about how to theorize the relationships between the Muslim scholarly-elite (the ulamā) and the nation-state. Over the course of the Arab Spring and the Gulf Crisis, Qaradawi and Bin Bayyah shaped the Al Thani’s and Al Nahyan’s competing ideologies in important ways. Offering new ways for academics to think about Doha and Abu Dhabi as hegemonic centers of Islamic scholarly authority alongside historical centers of learning such as Cairo, Medina, or Qom, this book will appeal to those with an interest in modern Islamic authority, the ulamā, Gulf politics, as well as the Arab Spring and its aftermath.
River Of Love In An Age Of Pollution: The Yamuna River Of Northern India
by David L. HabermanCelebrated as an aquatic form of divinity for thousands of years, the Yamuna is one of India's most sacred rivers. A prominent feature of north Indian culture, the Yamuna is conceptualized as a goddess flowing with liquid love -- yet today it is severely polluted, the victim of fast-paced industrial development. <P> This fascinating and beautifully written book investigates the stories, theology, and religious practices connected with this river goddess collected from texts written over several millennia, as well as from talks with pilgrims, priests, and worshippers who frequent the pilgrimage sites and temples located on her banks. <P> David L. Haberman offers a detailed analysis of the environmental condition of the river and examines how religious practices are affected by its current pollution. He introduces Indian river environmentalism, a form of activism that is different in many ways from its western counterpart. River of Love in an Age of Pollution concludes with a consideration of the broader implications of the Yamuna's plight and its effect on worldwide efforts to preserve our environment.
River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey
by Helen Prejean“River of Fire is Sister Helen’s story leading up to her acclaimed book Dead Man Walking—it is thought-provoking, informative, and inspiring. Read it and it will set your heart ablaze!”—Mark Shriver, author of Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis The nation’s foremost leader in efforts to abolish the death penalty shares the story of her growth as a spiritual leader, speaks out about the challenges of the Catholic Church, and shows that joy and religion are not mutually exclusive. Sister Helen Prejean’s work as an activist nun, campaigning to educate Americans about the inhumanity of the death penalty, is known to millions worldwide. Less widely known is the evolution of her spiritual journey from praying for God to solve the world’s problems to engaging full-tilt in working to transform societal injustices. Sister Helen grew up in a well-off Baton Rouge family that still employed black servants. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph at the age of eighteen and was in her forties when she had an awakening that her life’s work was to immerse herself in the struggle of poor people forced to live on the margins of society. Sister Helen writes about the relationships with friends, fellow nuns, and mentors who have shaped her over the years. In this honest and fiercely open account, she writes about her close friendship with a priest, intent on marrying her, that challenged her vocation in the “new territory of the heart.” The final page of River of Fire ends with the opening page of Dead Man Walking, when she was first invited to correspond with a man on Louisiana’s death row. River of Fire is a book for anyone interested in journeys of faith and spirituality, doubt and belief, and “catching on fire” to purpose and passion. It is a book, written in accessible, luminous prose, about how to live a spiritual life that is wide awake to the sufferings and creative opportunities of our world.“Prejean chronicles the compelling, sometimes-difficult journey to the heart of her soul and faith with wit, honesty, and intelligence. A refreshingly intimate memoir of a life in faith.”—Kirkus Reviews
River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey
by Helen Prejean'Riveting ... Providing a window into the upheaval in the church during the 1960s and 70s, Prejean's engrossing memoir also fleshes out how she rose to be an influential voice within the church before becoming a renowned proponent of abolishing the death penalty. Informing and entertaining, Prejean's exceptional memoir will be of special interest to social justice advocates. Publishers WeeklyIn this revelatory, intimate memoir from the author of Dead Man Walking, America's foremost leader in efforts to abolish the death penalty shares the story of her growth as a spiritual leader, speaks out about the challenges of the Catholic Church and shows that joy and religion are not mutually exclusive. Sister Helen Prejean's work as an activist nun, campaigning to educate Americans about the inhumanity of the death penalty, is known to millions worldwide. Less widely known is the evolution of her spiritual journey from praying for God to solve the world's problems to engaging full-tilt in working to transform societal injustices. Sister Helen grew up in a well-off Baton Rouge family that still employed black servants. She joined the Sisters of St Joseph at the age of eighteen and was in her forties when she had an awakening that her life's work was to immerse herself in the struggle of poor people forced to live on the margins of society. In this honest and fiercely open account, Sister Helen writes about the relationships with friends, fellow nuns and mentors who have shaped her over the years, as well as the close friendship with a priest that challenged her vocation in the 'new territory of the heart'. The final page of River of Fire ends with the opening page of Dead Man Walking, when she was first invited to correspond with a man on Louisiana's death row.River of Fire is a book for anyone interested in journeys of faith and spirituality, doubt and belief and 'catching on fire' to purpose and passion. Written in accessible, luminous prose, it is a book about how to live a spiritual life that is wide awake to the sufferings and creative opportunities of our world.
River of Love in an Age of Pollution: The Yamuna River of Northern India
by David HabermanCelebrated as an aquatic form of divinity for thousands of years, the Yamuna is one of India’s most sacred rivers. A prominent feature of north Indian culture, the Yamuna is conceptualized as a goddess flowing with liquid love—yet today it is severely polluted, the victim of fast-paced industrial development. This fascinating and beautifully written book investigates the stories, theology, and religious practices connected with this river goddess collected from texts written over several millennia, as well as from talks with pilgrims, priests, and worshippers who frequent the pilgrimage sites and temples located on her banks. David L. Haberman offers a detailed analysis of the environmental condition of the river and examines how religious practices are affected by its current pollution. He introduces Indian river environmentalism, a form of activism that is different in many ways from its western counterpart. River of Love in an Age of Pollution concludes with a consideration of the broader implications of the Yamuna’s plight and its effect on worldwide efforts to preserve our environment.
River of Offerings
by Jennifer PrughHow does a deeper understanding of the ancient spiritual traditions of India shed new light on our contemporary yoga practice? And what can India&’s River Ganges teach us about how to live in a meaningful way? Through photography and personal narrative, Jennifer Prugh documents a series of pilgrimages over the last ten years to spiritually significant locations along India&’s Ganges River. The Ganges is India&’s most sacred river, winding some 1550 miles from its source, high in the western Himalayas, traveling eastward across the subcontinent to empty out at Sagar Island near Kolkata. The river is also known among Hindus as Mother Ganga, the Goddess. She dissolves sins, drinking her waters cures those who are sick, and dying on her banks ensures freedom from the cycle of life and death. She is a perpetual offering to all who inhabit the Ganges River Valley. What began for the author as simply a trip to India in 2007 to deepen her understanding of her yoga practice became a passionate pursuit to broaden her understanding of the ancient spiritual culture of India, from which modern yoga practice evolved and changed her life. By plane, train, automobile, rickshaw, and on foot, she traveled with camera in tow to many of India&’s sacred destinations along the Ganges, from high in the Himalayas at the river&’s source at Gangotri, to the great Kumbha Mela festival held in Allahabad, to the cremation ghats in Varanasi. Prugh explores the stories from the heroic epics that provide the backbone for contemporary yoga philosophy, as well as the sacred wisdom that animates India&’s spiritual legacy. Part history, part mythology, and part travel narrative, this is a visual and written account of the trials, tribulations, and personal discoveries of an American female yoga practitioner. River of Offerings serves to broaden our understanding of how to live our lives meaningfully, with passion and purpose. A visually compelling and beautiful journey from cover to cover, this book will be a cherished source of inspiration for years to come.
River of Peril
by Susan K. MarlowJem Coulter thinks his family is just on a sightseeing trip to the big city of Sacramento. Then armed bandits hold up the stagecoach for the secret stash they're carrying: gold for the Union Army fighting the distant Civil War! Suddenly war isn't so far away; it's right there on the road to Sacramento, with Jem's father, the sheriff of Goldtown, fighting against the rebel army's Knights of the Golden Circle.When the family finally reaches the city, they think they're safe at last. Setting out to see the sights, Jem, his sister Ellie, and their cousin Nathan make a new friend. But is Henry the pal they think he is? With a father who is a die-hard Confederate, could Henry be in cahoots with the thieves?River of Peril gives readers ages 8 to 12 the fast-moving, exciting adventure they've come to expect in this series, as well as a glimpse into the history of post-Gold Rush and Civil War life in 1860s California, with stagecoaches, steamboats, stowaways--and lots of gold!