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The Age of Religious Wars, 1559-1715
by Richard S. DunnDuring the century and a half between 1559 and 1715, Europe was in a nearly constant state of war. There were fewer than thirty years of inter¬national peace, and more than a hundred years of major combat, in which all or most of the leading European states were simultaneously engaged.
The Age of Sacred Terror: Radical Islam's War Against America
by Steven Simon Daniel BenjaminDaniel Benjamin and Steven Simon began working on this book shortly after leaving the National Security Council, where, as director and senior director for counterterrorism, they watched the rise of al-Qaeda and helped coordinate America's fight against Usama bin Laden and his organization. They warned in articles and interviews about the appearance of a new breed of terrorists who were determined to kill on the grand scale. More than a year before September 11, 2001, they began writingThe Age of Sacred Terrorto sound the alarm for a nation that had not recognized the gravest threat of our time. One of their book's original goals has remained: to provide the insights to understand an enemy unlike any seen in living memory--one with an extraordinary ability to detect weakness and exploit it, one with a determination to inflict catastrophic damage, one that will not be deterred. But after September 11, a second, equally crucial goal was added: to understand how America let its defenses down, how warnings went unheeded, and how key parts of the government failed at vital tasks. The Age of Sacred Terror also describes the road ahead, where the terrorists will look to draw strength, and what the United States must do, at home and abroad, to stop them. For a year after the attacks that redefined terrorism and devastated the public's sense of security, America has been searching for answers about those responsible for one of the darkest days in our history and explanations for the glaring gaps in our defenses. The Age of Sacred Terror provides both, with unique authority. It is the book that Americans must read to understand the foremost challenge we face.
The Age of Secrecy
by Jeremiah Riemer Daniel JütteThe fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries were truly an Age of Secrecy in Europe, when arcane knowledge was widely believed to be positive knowledge which extended into all areas of daily life. So asserts Daniel Jütte in this engrossing, vivid, and award-winning work. He maintains that the widespread acceptance and even reverence for this “economy of secrets” in premodern Europe created a highly complex and sometimes perilous space for mutual contact between Jews and Christians. Surveying the interactions between the two religious groups in a wide array of secret sciences and practices, the author relates true stories of colorful “professors of secrets” and clandestine encounters. In the process Jütte examines how our current notion of secrecy is radically different in this era of WikiLeaks, Snowden, etc., as opposed to centuries earlier when the truest, most important knowledge was generally considered to be secret by definition.
The Age of Violence: The Crisis of Political Action and the End of Utopia
by Alain BerthoExploring the fury of the young in a world or crisis that seems to offer no alternatives"Only martyrs know neither pity nor fear. Believe me, the day when the martyrs are victorious will be the day of universal conflagration". Jacques Lacan made this gloomy prophesy back in 1959: but doesn't it also apply to our own time? Faced with a rise in attacks around the world, can we really just blame the 'radicalization of' Islam'? What hope is there for the alienated youth, as the wars that have ravaged the Middle East spill out across the globe?For Alain Bertho, the mounting chaos we see today is above all driven by the weakening of states' legitimacy under the pressure of globalization. Add to this the hypocrisy of the elites who beat the drum of 'security measures', even as they sow the seeds of violence around the world. This disorder is the swamp of despair which can only produce fresh atrocities.Today's youth are the lost children of neoliberal globalization, the inheritors of the political and human chaos it produces. When they find it easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism, their revolt tends to take the paths of martyrdom and despair. The closing of the revolutionary hypothesis allows only fury. The answer, Bertho argues, is a new radicalism, able to inspire a collective hope in the future.
The Agent's Secret Past: Stolen Memories The Agent's Secret Past Dark Tide Deadly Safari (Military Investigations #6)
by Debby GiustiA military investigator is targeted by the killer who murdered her Amish family in this romantic suspense novel of faith in the face of danger.Eight years ago, a drifter destroyed Becca Miller’s ties to her Amish community—and murdered her family. Now she’s a special agent with Fort Rickman’s criminal investigation department, helping other victims seek justice. Becca thought for a time that she had left her traumatic past behind her. But now she’s convinced that the killer, who supposedly died years ago, is very much alive—and coming after her.Special agent Colby Voss agrees to help Becca investigate. Yet the closer they get to the truth, the closer the killer gets to silencing her permanently.
The Agile Church: Spirit-Led Innovation in an Uncertain Age
by Dwight ZscheileA groundbreaking and essential guide to opening up the concept of church and achieving spiritual renewal in the 21st century. Taking one page from the Bible and another from Silicon Valley, priest and scholar Dwight Zscheile brings theological insights together with cutting-edge thinking on organizational innovation to help churches flourish in a time of profound uncertainty and spiritual opportunity. In today’s dynamic cultural environment, churches have to be more than faithful—they have to be agile. That means embracing processes of trial, failure, and adaptation as they form a Christian community with new neighbors. And that means a whole new way of being a church. How can it be realized? The Agile Church answers all the urgent and practical questions about meeting this cultural change. For clergy, congregational leaders, judicatory and denominational executives and staff, seminarians, and church members, “Dwight’s work on innovation is a rare gift for pastors and church leaders wanting something rooted deeply in scripture and Christian imagination, not just one more trend.” —Alan Roxburgh, author of The Missional Network Study guide included. “In an age when people are making choices about their faith, spirituality, and lives in unprecedented ways, our churches have the opportunity to be nimble, graceful, and creative. The Agile Church is an ideal guide for this journey.” —Doug Pagitt, author of Church in the Inventive Age
The Agnostic's Guide to Prayer
by Samuel AbinitioWhy does an agnostic need to pray? This haunting question marks the beginning of a remarkable spiritual quest. For prayer is nothing we ought to do. It is something we need as much as food or rest or exercise. Yet to whom do we pray if we're not religious? How do we even begin? This book is for those who have trouble finding spiritual nurture in a religious setting. It is for those who hunger for something more than power, status, or excitement. It is for those who wish to find peace within themselves in a troubled world. Written by a former priest, "Agnostic's Guide" draws on a rich heritage of Celtic and American Indian spirituality. Through gentle engagement with tough questions, it invites us to rediscover what we have known all along in our hearts.
The Agony of Greek Jews, 1940-1945
by Steven B. BowmanBowman (Judaic studies, U. of Cincinnati) describes the Holocaust experiences of the Greek Jews during World War II, relying heavily on the memoir literature in order to reconstruct varied and multifaceted experiences of victimization, resistance, and diaspora. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
The Agony of Jesus
by Padre PíoA true treasure of spiritual insights, this little booklet contains the remarkable meditations on the Agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane by Blessed Padre Pio, the stigmatist priest. One of his few writings, the booklet also includes many pictures of Blessed Padre Pio from throughout his ministry. Padre Pio's beautiful and descriptive manner of writing provide a wonderful spiritual insight into that last night of Jesus\' human life. Excerpt: ""Jesus has returned to His place of prayer, and another picture, more terrible than the first, presents itself to Him. All our sins with their entire ugliness parade before Him in every detail. He must clothe Himself with this entire unclean mass of human corruption and present Himself before the sanctity of His Father, to expiate everything with individual pains, to render Him all that glory of which they have robbed Him, to cleanse that human cesspool in which man wallows with contemptible indifference. " "And all this does not make Him retreat. As a raging sea this mass inundates Him, enfolds Him, oppresses Him. Behold Him before His Father the God of Justice, facing the full penalty of divine justice. He, the essence of purity, sanctity by nature, in contact with sin, indeed, as if He Himself had become a sinner Who can fathom the disgust that He feels in His innermost spirit? The horror He feels? The nausea, the contempt He senses so vividly? And having taken all upon Himself, nothing excepted, He is crushed by this immense weight, oppressed, thrown down, prostrated. Exhausted, He groans beneath the weight of Divine Justice, before His Father, Who has permitted His Son to offer Himself as a Victim for sin, as one accursed. ""
The Agony of the Church
by Nikolaj Velimirovicis book was digitized and reprinted from the collections of the University of California Libraries. Together, the more than one hundred UC Libraries comprise the largest university research library in the world, with over thirty-five million volumes in their holdings. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found online in the HathiTrust Digital Library.HP's patented BookPrep technology was used to clean artifacts resulting from use and digitization, improving your reading experience.
The Ahmadiyya in the Gold Coast: Muslim Cosmopolitans in the British Empire
by John H. HansonThe Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a global movement with more than half a million Ghanaian members, runs an extensive network of English-language schools and medical facilities in Ghana today. Founded in South Asia in 1889, the Ahmadiyya arrived in Ghana when a small coastal community invited an Ahmadiyya missionary to visit in 1921. Why did this invitation arise and how did the Ahmadiyya become such a vibrant religious community? John H. Hanson places the early history of the Ahmadiyya into the religious and cultural transformations of the British Gold Coast (colonial Ghana). Beginning with accounts of the visions of the African Methodist Binyameen Sam, Hanson reveals how Sam established a Muslim community in a coastal context dominated by indigenous expressions and Christian missions. Hanson also illuminates the Islamic networks that connected this small Muslim community through London to British India. African Ahmadi Muslims, working with a few South Asian Ahmadiyya missionaries, spread the Ahmadiyya's theological message and educational ethos with zeal and effectiveness. This is a global story of religious engagement, modernity, and cultural transformations arising at the dawn of independence.
The Air I Breathe
by Louie GiglioWhere Do You Worship? Not everyone may frequent the church on the corner, but we each have a place of worship. For some, it's at the office. For others, before the mirror. Still others, on the basketball court. You were created to worship! So you naturally find a place to do it. But to worship anything less than God robs both Him and us. It's at the foot of the cross where we reel, trying to comprehend how a holy God could chase us down with kindness and redeem us from an eternity of futile gods. In this newly revised and refreshed edition of the original The Air I Breathe, you'll find your sense of worship increasing beyond church walls or a Sunday routine. Soon all of life becomes your delighted response to God! Everybody Worships Something What captures your time and attention? We are all worshipers...of something. But are we spending our lives and filling our days with what matters most? Newly revised, The Air I Breathe will awaken you to the reality that worship is more than a service on Sunday. It's every moment reflecting God's glory and grace. "Some of the most inspiring teaching on worship I've ever heard has come from Louie Giglio. This book has inspired me as a worshiper and as a worship leader."-Matt Redman, Author of The Unquenchable Worshipper and The Heart of Worship "It's about time we had a book from Louie Giglio! Read it, and find out why." -Beth Moore, Bestselling author, speaker, and founder of Living Proof Ministries "A message that has sent shock waves through the church." -Andy Stanley , Senior pastor, North Point Community Church "Don't read The Air I Breathe unless you want to reexamine your life to see whom or what you are truly worshiping on a daily basis."--Billy Ray Hearn, Founder of Sparrow RecordsFrom the Hardcover edition.ly worshiping on a daily basis."--Billy Ray Hearn, Founder of Sparrow RecordsFrom the Hardcover edition.
The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality
by Glen ScrivenerDiscover the Christian roots of the values we prize in western society. TGC and Christianity Today 2022 Book Award Winner in Evangelism & Apologetics. <p><p>Is Christianity history? Or is Christian history the deepest explanation of the modern world? <p><p>Today in the west, many consider the church to be dead or dying. Christianity is seen as outdated, bigoted and responsible for many of society's problems. This leaves many believers embarrassed about their faith and many outsiders wary of religion. But what if the Christian message is not the enemy of our modern Western values, but the very thing that makes sense of them? <p><p>In this fascinating book, Glen Scrivener takes readers on a journey to discover how the teachings of Jesus not only turned the ancient world upside down, but continue to underpin the way we think of life, worth, and meaning. Far from being a relic from the past, the distinctive ideas of Christianity, such as freedom, kindness, progress and equality, are a crucial part of the air that we breathe. As author Glen Scrivener says in his introduction: "The extraordinary impact of Christianity is seen in the fact that we don't notice it". <p><p>This is a book for both believers and sceptics-giving Christians confidence to be open about their faith and showing non-Christians the ways in which the message of Jesus makes sense of their most cherished beliefs. Whoever you are, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the values you hold dear as you discover the power and profundity of Jesus and his revolution.
The Akashic Records: Access the Greatest Source of Information to Empower Your Life
by Sandra TaylorThe Akashic Records are a powerful source of information, change, and manifestation. This practical introductory guide shows how they can open your life to profound healing, happiness, and true fulfillment. This book will reveal: - What the Akashic Records really are and how to tap into their ever-present power - How to travel the eternal timeline to investigate the past, present, and potential future - How past lives are influencing you today and what you can do to rewrite those records - How you can use the Akashic Records to find your purpose, expand your talents, and find greater success and joy in this life - How to program future events within the records of this life and in lifetimes to come - Techniques to open the records anytime you desire ...and much more!
The Akashic Records: Open the book of your soul and discover your purpose
by Theresa CheungAre you ready to open the book of your life?Spiritual expert Theresa Cheung leads you on the path to enlightenment by introducing you a new realm of self-discovery: the Akashic records.The term 'Akashic' is rooted in the Sanskrit word 'akasha', meaning 'ether'. In the traditional Hindu Ayurvedic medicine practice, 'akasha' is one of the building blocks of the cosmos - empty space where everything connects. Your Akashic record is part of this unseen dimension, an endless energetic library that records your soul's journey through life. All your experiences, past, present and future, are written in this plane. Among them you'll find the answers to all your burning questions about yourself, your life and the universe.With Theresa as your guide, accessing your Akashic record will heighten your self-awareness, teach you to approach the world with unconditional love and give you new tools to steer the direction of your life.The sky is no longer the limit - your Akashic record awaits.Contents include:- A history and explanation of the Akashic records- An introduction to the Akashic records' spiritual guardians- The benefits of accessing your own Akashic record in your daily life- The 12 most common pathways to channel your Akashic record, featuring guided mediations, intuitive tools and dreamwork exercises
The Akashic Records: Open the book of your soul and discover your purpose
by Theresa CheungAre you ready to open the book of your life?Spiritual expert Theresa Cheung leads you on the path to enlightenment by introducing you a new realm of self-discovery: the Akashic records.The term 'Akashic' is rooted in the Sanskrit word 'akasha', meaning 'ether'. In the traditional Hindu Ayurvedic medicine practice, 'akasha' is one of the building blocks of the cosmos - empty space where everything connects. Your Akashic record is part of this unseen dimension, an endless energetic library that records your soul's journey through life. All your experiences, past, present and future, are written in this plane. Among them you'll find the answers to all your burning questions about yourself, your life and the universe.With Theresa as your guide, accessing your Akashic record will heighten your self-awareness, teach you to approach the world with unconditional love and give you new tools to steer the direction of your life.The sky is no longer the limit - your Akashic record awaits.Contents include:- A history and explanation of the Akashic records- An introduction to the Akashic records' spiritual guardians- The benefits of accessing your own Akashic record in your daily life- The 12 most common pathways to channel your Akashic record, featuring guided mediations, intuitive tools and dreamwork exercises
The Akashic Records: Sacred Exploration of Your Soul's Journey Within the Wisdom of the Collective Consciousness
by Ernesto Ortiz“Profound and practical” this guide from a shamanic healer “explores a deep domain of reality in ways that treat the esoteric as everyday reality” (Ervin Laszlo, author of Science and the Akashic Field).The Akashic Records is equal parts practical and profound, the culmination of nearly two decades of immersion by Ernesto, personally and professionally, into the Akashic Records for individual healing, growth, and self-realization. This book provides a thorough map of the energetic territory you will be exploring and the many ways you can use the Akashic Records and the guidance of the masters and teachers.By experiencing The Akashic Records you will:Learn a sacred prayer that has the potential to change your life foreverCreate a deep and meaningful relationship with the Lords of AkashaBe able to heal past and present and move with ease, grace, and inspiration into your futureLearn how to mix the energy of the Akashic Records with any other modality to bring you to the next level of your potentialLearn an easy and powerful way of protection and how to always be connected to Source and SpiritThis definitive work provides all of the conceptual and practical information you need to truly understand what the Akashic Records are and, more importantly, to incorporate accessing your own Records into your lifestyle—for a lifetime!“In simple, down-home language, Ernesto Ortiz vitalizes this sacred library of self-remembrance in all its specifics, so that we, too, may become proficient in accessing the Akashic Records on our soul’s journey through time.” —Jacquelyn Small, author of Awakening in Time, Becoming A Practical Mystic and The Sacred Purpose of Being Human
The Al Qaeda Reader
by Raymond IbrahimThe global war on terror is not just a military conflict but a war of ideas. Indeed it is in some respects primarily an ideological struggle. Yet it is a war we cannot win without a broader understanding of al-Qaeda's goals and motives. What do our enemies believe? What motivates their war against the West? What is their vision of the ideal Islamic society? Surprisingly, more than five years after 9/11, there is very little understanding of these questions. Despite our tendency to dismiss Islamic extremism as profoundly irrational, al-Qaeda is not without a coherent body of beliefs. Like other totalitarian movements, the movement's leaders have rationalized their brutality in a number of published treatises. Now, for the first time, The Al Qaeda Reader gathers together the essential texts and documents that trace the origin, history, and evolution of the ideas of al-Qaeda founders Ayman al-Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden. This extraordinary collection of the key texts of the al-Qaeda movement--including incendiary materials never before translated into English--lays bare the minds, motives, messages, and ultimate goals of an enemy bent on total victory. Al-Qaeda's chilling ideology calls for a relentless jihad against non-Muslim "infidels," repudiates democracy in favor of Islamic law, stresses the importance of martyrdom, and mocks the notion of "moderate" Islam.Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of these works is how grounded they are in the traditional sources of Islamic theology: the Koran and the teachings of the Prophet. The founders of al-Qaeda use these sources as powerful weapons of persuasion, reminding followers (and would-be recruits) that Muhammad and his warriors spread Islam through the power of the sword and that the Koran is not merely allegory or history but literal truth that commands all Muslims to action. In addition to laying bare al-Qaeda's ultimate motives, The Al Qaeda Reader includes the organization's propagandist speeches, which are directed primarily at Americans, Europeans, and Iraqis. Here, al-Qaeda's many "official" accusations against the West are meticulously delineated, from standard complaints such as the Palestinian issue and Iraq to wholly unexpected ones concerning the U.S.'s exploitation of women and the environment.Taken together, the Theology and Propaganda sections of this volume reveal the most comprehensive picture of al-Qaeda to date. They also highlight the double-speak of bin Laden and Zawahiri, who often say one thing to Muslims in their religious treatises ("We must hate and fight the West because Islam commands it") and another in their propaganda directed at the West ("The West is the aggressor and we are fighting back merely in self-defense").Westerners from across the political spectrum will be fascinated and enlightened by The Al Qaeda Reader's insights into the nature of Islamic texts and the ways in which al-Qaeda has used these texts to manufacture hatred against our civilization and our way of life.
The Album of the World Emperor: Cross-Cultural Collecting and the Art of Album-Making in Seventeenth-Century Istanbul
by Emine FetvacıThe first study of album-making in the Ottoman empire during the seventeenth century, demonstrating the period’s experimentation, eclecticism, and global outlookThe Album of the World Emperor examines an extraordinary piece of art: an album of paintings, drawings, calligraphy, and European prints compiled for the Ottoman sultan Ahmed I (r. 1603–17) by his courtier Kalender Paşa (d. 1616). In this detailed study of one of the most important works of seventeenth-century Ottoman art, Emine Fetvacı uses the album to explore questions of style, iconography, foreign inspiration, and the very meaning of the visual arts in the Islamic world.The album’s thirty-two folios feature artworks that range from intricate paper cutouts to the earliest examples of Islamic genre painting, and contents as eclectic as Persian and Persian-influenced calligraphy, studies of men and women of different ethnicities and backgrounds, depictions of popular entertainment and urban life, and European prints depicting Christ on the cross that in turn served as models for apocalyptic Ottoman paintings. Through the album, Fetvacı sheds light on imperial ideals as well as relationships between court life and popular culture, and shows that the boundaries between Ottoman art and the art of Iran and Western Europe were much more porous than has been assumed. Rather than perpetuating the established Ottoman idiom of the sixteenth century, the album shows that this was a time of openness to new models, outside sources, and fresh forms of expression.Beautifully illustrated and featuring all the folios of the original seventy-page album, The Album of the World Emperor revives a neglected yet significant artwork to demonstrate the distinctive aesthetic innovations of the Ottoman court.
The Alchemical Body: Siddha Traditions in Medieval India
by David Gordon WhiteThe Alchemical Body excavates and centers within its Indian context the lost tradition of the medieval Siddhas. Working from previously unexplored alchemical sources, David Gordon White demonstrates for the first time that the medieval disciplines of Hindu alchemy and hatha yoga were practiced by one and the same people, and that they can be understood only when viewed together. White opens the way to a new and more comprehensive understanding of medieval Indian mysticism, within the broader context of south Asian Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Islam. "White proves a skillful guide in disentangling historical and theoretical complexities that have thus far bedeviled the study of these influential aspects of medieval Indian culture."—Yoga World "Anyone seriously interested in finding out more about authentic tantra, original hatha yoga, embodied liberation . . . sacred sexuality, paranormal abilities, healing, and of course alchemy will find White's extraordinary book as fascinating as any Tom Clancy thriller."—Georg Feuerstein, Yoga Journal
The Alchemist's Handbook: A Practical Manual (Weiser Classics Series)
by Frater Albertus"If you really want to learn the basic principles of practical alchemy, Frater Albertus' Alchemist's Handbook is literally is worth its weight in gold."—from the foreword by Israel Regardie, author of The Golden Dawn: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites, and Ceremonies of the Hermetic OrderThe Alchemist's Handbook has long been considered a modern-day classic on the actual practice of alchemy since its first publication in 1960. The book still stands as a groundbreaking work presenting in clear, concise language a practical manual of working knowledge that was formerly handed down only under oath of secrecy.The scope of alchemical work is to provide both a means to synthesize all the other sciences and the necessary training of the intellectual and spiritual faculties. "Hermetic philosophy, with its practical arcanum," writes Frater Albertus, "repeats itself over and over again in the ancient axiom 'As above, so below. As below, so above.'"The Alchemist's Handbook discusses in detail:•The basic fundamental principles of alchemy.•A guide to the formation of an inexpensive home laboratory with illustrations of the necessary equipment.•Step-by-step instructions for the work of the Lesser Circulation, the alchemical transformation within the plant kingdom. "The teachings of Frater Albertus are part of a lineage that traces back to Rosicrucian sources and much earlier and The Alchemist's Handbook is still the best introduction to that lineage. If you feel the call of Alchemy and want real information on the subject, this is definitely the book you will want to read, reread, and read again. It may just turn out to be the book that changes your life."—From the foreword by Robert Allen Bartlett, author of Real Alchemy: A Primer of Practical AlchemyFirst published by Weiser Books in 1974, this new Weiser Classics edition includes a new foreword by Robert Allen Bartlett, author of Real Alchemy.
The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel (Plus Ser.)
by Paulo CoelhoAndalusian shepherd boy Santiago travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within.Since its first printing The Alchemist has been translated into seventy-one languages and sold forty million copies worldwide, establishing itself as a modern classic that will enchant and inspire readers for generations to come. Beautifully rendered, The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel is a must have for any collector's library.Acclaimed illustrator Daniel Sampere brings Paulo Coelho's classic to new life in this gorgeously illustrated graphic novel adaptation.
The Alchemist’s Journey: An Old System For A New Age
by Glennie KindredIn this account of 12 months in her life, much-loved author Glennie Kindred explores the powerful fusion of alchemy with the eight Celtic festivals, and shows us how to tap in to the natural energy of transformation inherent in the earth's cycles. Full of practical ideas to encourage us to be open to the power of transformation, and written in an inspiring and accessible style, this book brings the ancient alchemical processes into a fresh, clear light. Glennie shows us how each season is an opportunity to develop, adapt, and experience ourselves in a new way. This inspires us to unlock the love that brings healing to ourselves and our relationship to the earth. She reveals how we can find this true alchemical gold and become a powerful force for positive change in the world.
The Alchemy of Freedom: The Philosophers' Stone and the Secrets of Existence
by A. H. AlmaasWell-known spiritual teacher A. H. Almaas uses the metaphor of the mysterious philosopher's stone to discuss a tremendous liberating power that leads to endless enlightenment. For millennia alchemists sought the philosophers’ stone, the miracle substance believed to be the key to all the secrets of existence. The quest was fueled by some of the prime questions of human existence: What am I? Why am I here? How has this world come to be?A. H. Almaas shows that the tremendous liberating power of the mysterious philosophers’ stone is closer to us than we realize. In fact, it is the true nature of all reality—in all times and all places, without being limited to being anything in particular. Through the philosophers’ stone, real transformation can happen, our consciousness can become free, and we can open to all the possibilities of reality. Almaas discusses the factors that are involved in igniting the catalytic property of the philosophers’ stone and then begins to unpack the properties of true nature when it is free of constraints. Finally, we are left with the revelation that true nature is endlessly knowable, and yet nothing we can know or say about it exhausts its mystery and power. The result is a new understanding of what liberation and practice are—and a view of what it’s like when seeking ceases and life becomes a process of continual discovery. We begin to appreciate that the freedom of reality expressed in the complete and fulfilled life all human beings seek—and few find—is actually the simplicity of the ordinary.
The Alchemy of Stones: Co-creating with Crystals, Minerals, and Gemstones for Healing and Transformation
by Robert Simmons• Reveals that those who love and work with crystals and stones have been intuitively following the path of spiritual alchemy • Provides meditative practices with specific stones to go with each stage of the alchemical transformation process as well as other tools and techniques • Includes an illustrated dictionary summarizing the spiritual qualities of more than 375 different minerals, crystals, and gemstones The Alchemy of Stones presents an inspired breakthrough in Robert Simmons&’ thirty-five year career of exploring and revealing the spiritual qualities and potentials of minerals, crystals, and gemstones. This holistic, Earth-based framework for understanding stones and their energies initiates readers into an alchemical worldview that leads to spiritual healing, transformation, and transcendence. Engaging readers step by step, Simmons provides guidance on discovering and harnessing the three human powers of intention, attention, and imagination, each a crucial component for meeting and working in harmony with the energies of the Stone Beings. Simmons also introduces us to the Divine Feminine intelligence known as Sophia, or Wisdom. The Stone Beings are her emissaries, and through relating and co-creating with them, the healing and redemption of ourselves and the Earth becomes a reality. Offering an illustrated dictionary of the spiritual qualities of more than 375 different minerals, crystals, and gemstones, Simmons also explores in depth what he calls the Four Cornerstones of the Alchemy of Stones: Moldavite, Phenacite, Azeztulite, and Rosophia. He discusses the stages of alchemical transformation and provides meditative practices with specific stones to go with each stage. He also explores how to work with stone mandalas, crystal body layouts, gemstone elixirs, and Orgonite energy devices and details powerful techniques for working with stones. Woven throughout are Simmons&’ personal stories of the pivotal mystical experiences that triggered his capacity to feel stone energies and led him to develop his relationship with the stones, revealing how this work can open minds and awaken hearts. Lavishly illustrated, The Alchemy of Stones is an invitation to a journey of enlightenment, transformation, and spiritual metamorphosis aligned with the path of our living, conscious Earth.