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Sacred Space
by Denise Linn"Our homes are mirrors of ourselves. Through them we can interface with the universe. " Everything in the universe is composed of constantly changing energy, including your home and its contents. This energy can profoundly influence your ability to be healthy, loving, creative and abundant. By clearing and enhancing this energy you can transform your home into a sanctuary which radiates positive energy in ever-expanding circles. In this fascinating and unusual book, Denise Linn shows you how you can dramatically change your life by changing the environment in your home or office. She combines information from her own Native American heritage with material she has personally collected from native traditions around the world to bring you practical, easy-to-use exercises for balancing the physical, emotional and spiritual energies in your home, including how to: * Diagnose and solve problems with stagnant home energies. * Use sacred sound, spirit smoke, mystic symbols and purifying fire for clearing home energy. * Discover the personal numerology of your home. * Use the ancient art of Feng Shui for the placement of objects in your home. * Call house angels and totems as home protectors. * Use rituals to rid your home of unwanted spirits. * Instantly uplift the energy in your home. Your home can resonate, sing and pulse with Light energy that can touch the lives of everyone around you. Your home can become Sacred Space. From the Trade Paperback edition.
A Sacred Space Is Never Empty: A History of Soviet Atheism
by Victoria SmolkinWhen the Bolsheviks set out to build a new world in the wake of the Russian Revolution, they expected religion to die off. Soviet power used a variety of tools--from education to propaganda to terror—to turn its vision of a Communist world without religion into reality. Yet even with its monopoly on ideology and power, the Soviet Communist Party never succeeded in overcoming religion and creating an atheist society.A Sacred Space Is Never Empty presents the first history of Soviet atheism from the 1917 revolution to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Drawing on a wealth of archival material and in-depth interviews with those who were on the front lines of Communist ideological campaigns, Victoria Smolkin argues that to understand the Soviet experiment, we must make sense of Soviet atheism. Smolkin shows how atheism was reimagined as an alternative cosmology with its own set of positive beliefs, practices, and spiritual commitments. Through its engagements with religion, the Soviet leadership realized that removing religion from the "sacred spaces" of Soviet life was not enough. Then, in the final years of the Soviet experiment, Mikhail Gorbachev—in a stunning and unexpected reversal—abandoned atheism and reintroduced religion into Soviet public life.A Sacred Space Is Never Empty explores the meaning of atheism for religious life, for Communist ideology, and for Soviet politics.
Sacred Spaces: My Journey to the Heart of Military Marriage
by Corie WeathersThe vulnerable true story of a journey that changed a military spouse's perspective of deployment, herself, and her military marriage."Corie shares insights we can bring into our own hearts to see our own relationships with new eyes."—Amy Bushatz, Executive Editor, Military.com"Your heart will break and heal with every turn of the page."—Taya Kyle, New York Times bestselling author of American Wife and executive director of the Chris Kyle Frog FoundationLike many military couples, Corie and her husband, Matt, an Army chaplain, accumulated significant unshared moments during Matt’s deployments. When Matt returned, he and Corie began using the term "sacred spaces" for significant moments they had experienced independently. After multiple deployments, sacred spaces were taking up a lot of emotional room in their relationship.When US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter invited Corie, as the 2015 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year, to join his team on a one-week overseas holiday trip, she eagerly accepted, hoping to gain a better understanding of her husband’s deployment experience and lessen the impact sacred spaces had on her marriage.As Corie sat in the belly of a C-17, where her husband had said goodbye to the remains of friends and fellow soldiers, as she touched with her own hands the memorial at FOB Fenty and reflected on her grief as a care team member following the battle of COP Keating, Corie realized this journey was about much more than the push-pull of duty away from loved ones.This was a journey to the heart of her marriage, a place where she would have to leave behind her resentment in exchange for ground she and her husband had surrendered to hurt, misunderstanding, loss—and to Afghanistan.Corie set out on this trip hoping to gain a better understanding of her husband and his deployment experience, but along the way, she discovered a whole new perspective of herself and her military marriage. By sharing her story, Corie hopes to help other military couples strengthen their marriages.Multiple-Award-Winning BookLiving Now Book Awards Gold Medal—Best Relationships/Marriage BookForeWord INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards finalistMidwest Book Awards SilverFeatured on the TODAY Show as Kathie Lee’s "favorite thing."
Sacred Spaces and Transnational Networks in American Sufism: Bawa Muhaiyaddeen and Contemporary Shrine Cultures (Islam of the Global West Series)
by Merin Shobhana XavierThis book sheds light on the Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship (BMF), one of North America's major Sufi movements, and one of the first to establish a Sufi shrine in the region. It provides the first comprehensive overview of the BMF, offering new insight into its historical development and practices, and charting its establishment in both the United States and Sri Lanka. <p><p> Through ethnographic research, Sacred Spaces and Transnational Networks in American Sufism shows that the followers of Bawa in the United States and Sri Lanka share far more similarities in the relationships they formed with spaces, Bawa, and Sufism, than differences. This challenges the accepted conceptualization of Sufism in North America as having a distinct “Americanness”, and prompts scholars to re-consider how Sufism is developing in the modern American landscape, as well as globally. <p><p> The book focuses on the transnational spaces and ritual activities of Bawa's communities, mapping parallel shrines and pilgrimages. It examines the roles of culture, religion, and gender and their impact on ritual embodiment, drawing attention to the global range of a Sufi community through engagement with its distinct Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, and Christian followers.
The Sacred Spoils (The Rossi & Nero Thrillers)
by Will AdamsThe race to uncover history&’s greatest lost fortune begins in a breathtaking conspiracy thriller from the author of The Alexander Cipher. To the victor go the spoils . . . Historian Carmen Nero, in southern Italy to help a friend search for ancient riches, is caught up in the murderous schemes of the Calabrian Mafia. Cesco Rossi, a quick-witted conman on the run from a brutal group of neo-Nazis, is about to be confronted by his tragic past. Israeli Professor Zara Gold is on a mission to find Judaism&’s most sacred relic. For the tomb of Alaric I, the Visigoth king who sacked and looted Rome of its most fabulous treasures, is on the point of being revealed. And who knows what secrets may lie within? An astounding and twisting mystery that will delight fans of Dan Brown, Clive Cussler and Scott Mariani. Praise for Will Adams&’ The Alexander Cipher &“A razor-edged thriller that delves deeply into crumbling tombs and ancient secrets. Explosively paced and tautly told.&” —James Rollins, #1 New York Times–bestselling author &“A resourceful and appealing hero, and . . . the action crackles along with betrayals, vendettas, and revelations galore.&” —Daily Mail &“The author does an excellent job of keeping the story moving at a brisk clip while giving us all the historical background we require to understand what all the fuss is about . . . smartly constructed twists. Surprisingly, considering its high quality, this is Adams&’ first novel.&” —Booklist (starred review)
Sacred Stones of the Goddess: Using Earth Energies for Magical Living
by Galen GillotteMake everyday magic come alive with the beautiful prose and invocations found in Sacred Stones of the Goddess. This one-of-a-kind guidebook incorporates crystals and semiprecious stones in talismanic magic, and includes guided meditations and prayers to the Goddess. Stones are a powerful source of earth energy. Each stone has its own distinct energy "signature" as well as magical correspondences shared by other stones in the same group. In talismanic magic, the stone serves as both the focus and amplifier for the desired outcome of the spell. Sacred Stones of the Goddess presents a variety of ways to intensify your magic with the power of stones, including: Thirty-five Goddess-centered invocations for a variety of purposes such as increased magical ability, justice, peace, personal protection, creativity, and love Step-by-step instructions for putting together and using your own thirteen-stone divination set Instructions for creating and using your own set of Wiccan prayer beads for communion with the Goddess (and God)
Sacred Stories: Wisdom from World Religions
by Caroline O. Berg Marilyn McfarlaneThis comprehensive collection of timeless and powerful stories puts the wisdom of world religions in the hands of young readers.When attempting to find a simple, engaging, and unbiased approach to world religions for her own family, Marilyn McFarlane discovered such a book did not exist. Understanding how important it is for children to build both respect for and knowledge of a variety of religions, regardless of their own faith, McFarlane created Sacred Stories: Wisdom from World Religions.Each captivating story and accompanying sidebar facts and spot illustrations brings to life the key tenets of a particular belief system, while the comprehensive glossary and resource list enable readers to expand their explorations. Including easy-to-understand descriptions and essential stories from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Native American, and Sacred Earth, Sacred Stories is perfect for parents and teachers who want to expand young readers' understanding of world traditions.The simple, informative, unbiased language of Sacred Stories, combined with its comprehensive resource list and glossary, makes it an ideal learning tool for teachers, librarians, and other educators.
Sacred Stories: Wisdom from World Religions
by Marilyn McfarlaneThis comprehensive collection of timeless and powerful stories puts the wisdom of world religions in the hands of young readers.When attempting to find a simple, engaging, and unbiased approach to world religions for her own family, Marilyn McFarlane discovered such a book did not exist. Understanding how important it is for children to build both respect for and knowledge of a variety of religions, regardless of their own faith, McFarlane created Sacred Stories: Wisdom from World Religions.Each captivating story and accompanying sidebar facts and spot illustrations brings to life the key tenets of a particular belief system, while the comprehensive glossary and resource list enable readers to expand their explorations. Including easy-to-understand descriptions and essential stories from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Native American, and Sacred Earth, Sacred Stories is perfect for parents and teachers who want to expand young readers' understanding of world traditions.The simple, informative, unbiased language of Sacred Stories, combined with its comprehensive resource list and glossary, makes it an ideal learning tool for teachers, librarians, and other educators.
Sacred Strides: The Journey to Belovedness in Work and Rest
by Justin McRobertsIn this fresh look at finding balance between work and sabbath rest, Justin McRoberts leads readers on their journey from false self to true self, discovering that growth and maturity take root in the knowledge of their belovedness in Christ.In his two decades working as a full-time artist and spiritual guide, Justin McRoberts has experienced first-hand the tension between "The Hustle" and "Self Care." In recent years, that conversation has turned to argument as people have suggested that one is more important than the other. But Justin disagrees entirely with such a one-sided approach.Justin says, "My natural posture is not work, nor is my natural posture rest. My natural posture is belovedness, and both work and rest spring from my belovedness, and return me to it." In this book, he uses humorous and poignant stories to help readers discover the deep truths about us being laborers for/with Christ, empowered by the Spirit, as well as worshipers of God the Father. Readers will learn howSabbath is a gift and a practice that frees us from the anxiety of proving ourselvesThey are loved and valued by God for who and whose they are—not for what they doRest is not the absence of work; it is what gives work meaningWe can love our world and the people in it through what we doWe are not tools in God's tool belt, valued only for our gifts and talents. Nor are we ascetics called to abandon "daily life" to find God in the desert and just sit there. We are beloved by the One who holds all things together . . . including our need to work and our need to rest.
Sacred Subdivisions: The Postsuburban Transformation of American Evangelicalism
by Justin WilfordIn an era where church attendance has reached an all-time low, recent polling has shown that Americans are becoming less formally religious and more promiscuous in their religious commitments. Within both mainline and evangelical Christianity in America, it is common to hear of secularizing pressures and increasing competition from nonreligious sources. Yet there is a kind of religious institution that has enjoyed great popularity over the past thirty years: the evangelical megachurch. Evangelical megachurches not only continue to grow in number, but also in cultural, political, and economic influence. To appreciate their appeal is to understand not only how they are innovating, but more crucially, where their innovation is taking place. In this groundbreaking and interdisciplinary study, Justin G. Wilford argues that the success of the megachurch is hinged upon its use of space: its location on the postsuburban fringe of large cities, its fragmented, dispersed structure, and its focus on individualized spaces of intimacy such as small group meetings in homes, which help to interpret suburban life as religiously meaningful and create a sense of belonging. Based on original fieldwork at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, one of the largest and most influential megachurches in America, Sacred Subdivisions explains how evangelical megachurches thrive by transforming mundane secular spaces into arenas of religious significance.
Sacred Suicide (Routledge New Religions)
by Carole M. CusackThe label 'Suicide Cults' has been applied to a wide variety of different alternative religions, from Jonestown to the Solar Temple to Heaven's Gate. Additionally, observers have asked if such group suicides are in any way comparable to Islamist suicide terrorism, or to historical incidents of mass suicide, such as the mass suicide of the ancient community of Masada. Organizationally and ideologically diverse, it turns out that the primary shared trait of these various groups is a common stereotype of religion as an irrational force that pushes fanatics to undertake acts of suicidal violence. Offering a valuable perspective on New Religious Movements and on religion and violence, Sacred Suicide brings together contributions from a diverse range of international scholars of sociology, religious studies and criminology.
Sacred Therapy: Jewish Spiritual Teachings on Emotional Healing and Inner Wholeness
by Estelle FrankelIn Sacred Therapy Estelle Frankel travels to the heart of Jewish mysticism to reveal how people of any faith can draw upon this rich body of teachings to gain wisdom, clarity, and a deeper sense of meaning in the midst of modern life. In an engaging and accessible style, Frankel brings together tales and teachings from the Bible, the Talmud, Kabbalah, and the Hasidic traditions as well as evocative case studies and stories from her own life to create an original, inspirational guide to emotional healing and spiritual growth.
Sacred Thirst: Meeting God in the Desert of Our Longings
by M. Craig BarnesJesus once said, "Whoever drinks of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty." So why are Christians still thirsty? We throw ourselves into church work, Bible studies, prayer, missions, fellowship. Yet still we search restlessly for something more. What are we missing? Perhaps the answer is, more of Jesus. Church meetings and programs, ministry, Christian counseling, and home groups are all good, but they are not him. It doesn't matter how devoted we are to these wonderful activities; they are not the same thing as communion with Jesus. Our souls crave him alone. In Sacred Thirst, author and pastor Craig Barnes brings us face-to-face with our desperate longing for God. Like the woman at the well, we have tried to satisfy our parched souls with so many other things—even religious things. But when we get to the bottom of our desire, we find Jesus quietly waiting with his living water—intimate communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This book is filled with unique insights into human experience and the character of God. With his keen understanding of the needs of contemporary Christians, Barnes points to the only way our thirst will ever be satisfied. Drawing from his rich background in the Bible and his tender insights as a pastor, he leads us into a new understanding of ourselves and the uncontrollable but gracious God we seek.
Sacred Time and the Search for Meaning
by Gary EberleIn Sacred Time and the Search for Meaning, author Gary Eberle contemplates how humans' view of time has evolved throughout history, how we came to measure time, and why we feel especially starved for it now. Eberle seeks to rediscover a renewed sense of meaning in life through looking for ways to enter the realm of sacred time or "sabbath time"--where we can reconnect with the slower, deeper rhythms of life that have traditionally been experienced through worship, prayer, and the observance of holy days. Drawing from the work of Western philosophers from Aristotle to Heidegger, and on theorists from Jung to Foucault, he presents both an intellectual history of time and a personal account of his own search for sacred time. Along the way he formulates an insightful analysis of our culture's obsession with speed and efficiency, and he offers guidance for slowing down to savor life outside of schedules and routines, showing the way toward finding fulfillment in this increasingly accelerated world.
Sacred Travels: 274 Places to Find Joy, Seek Solace, and Learn to Live More Fully
by Meera LesterAll roads lead to enlightenment-but the choice of which to travel is yours. From Sedona to Lourdes to Mecca, there are certain divinely blessed places that can inspire you to renew your sense of wonder, revitalize your spirit, and restore your faith.In this book, you'll explore the most illuminating sites around the world, including:The Taj Mahal in India, a stunning palace designed for mourning a lost love-or celebrating a new oneCarmel Mission in California, a place of veneration and enlightenmentThe Shrine of Rumi in Turkey, a monument to the power of passion and poetryThe Wailing Wall in Israel, where it is believed you have God's ear when you visitMount Olympus in Greece, a snow-capped peak that offers serenity and strength With special prayers, meditations, and devotions for each sacred site, this guide is the perfect companion if you are seeking a true journey of the soul.
Sacred Trust
by Hannah AlexanderDr. Lukas Bower believes in God, the Hippocratic Oath and doing the right thing. Lukas won't prescribe drugs to an addict just because he's the son of a hospital board member. Or let an obese man die because he doesn't have insurance. Lukas didn't play hospital politics at his former job, and he won't in this small-town Missouri emergency department. One very attractive colleague seems to appreciate Lukas's commitment to honor and truth. But Dr. Mercy Richmond's feelings will be tested when her child is brought into Lukas's E. R. , putting her sacred trust, her heart--and her daughter's life--in his hands.
The Sacred Universe: Earth, Spirituality, and Religion in the Twenty-First Century
by Thomas BerryA leading scholar, cultural historian, and Catholic priest who spent more than fifty years writing about our engagement with the Earth, Thomas Berry possessed prophetic insight into the rampant destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of species. In this book he makes a persuasive case for an interreligious dialogue that can better confront the environmental problems of the twenty-first century. These erudite and keenly sympathetic essays represent Berry's best work, covering such issues as human beings' modern alienation from nature and the possibilities of future, regenerative forms of religious experience. Asking that we create a new story of the universe and the emergence of the Earth within it, Berry resituates the human spirit within a sacred totality.
The Sacred Universe: Earth, Spirituality, and Religion in the Twenty-First Century
by Thomas Berry&“Dedicated readers of ecology, theology, or religious philosophy will want to savor each one [of these essays]&” from the renowned environmental thinker (Library Journal). A leading scholar, cultural historian, and Catholic priest who spent more than fifty years writing about our engagement with the Earth, Thomas Berry possessed prophetic insight into the rampant destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of species. In this book he makes a persuasive case for an interreligious dialogue that can better confront the environmental problems of the twenty-first century. These erudite and keenly sympathetic essays represent Berry&’s best work, covering such issues as human beings&’ modern alienation from nature and the possibilities of future, regenerative forms of religious experience. Asking that we create a new story of the universe and the emergence of the Earth within it, Berry resituates the human spirit within a sacred totality. &“This book addresses how the history and diversity of world religions offer ways to engage with Earth; how it is necessary to connect with a spirituality that is Earth derived; how science can be in conversation with the religious sensibilities of wonder and awe; and how our relationship to the natural world is crucial to our spirituality. In the earliest essays, Berry sounds most optimistic and urges readers to reconcile modern impulses and technology with religious traditions.&”—Publishers Weekly &“Thomas Berry demonstrates in these papers the qualities he calls for: humanist vision and imagination.&”—Resurgence
The Sacred Us: A Call to Radical Christian Community
by Justin KendrickFor every person who has felt lonely or isolated, The Sacred Us explores a new way of living through the practice of biblical community. In a world that celebrates individuality and autonomy, too many of us struggle to form deep, meaningful relationships. Loneliness is the norm, rich friendships are rare, and the church is no exception. We long for real community but often don&’t know how to get there. What will it take to develop healthy friendships? The Bible gives us a compelling blueprint for community, but it must be built on more than shared interests or Sunday-morning smiles. This book explores the substance of biblical community through seven principles: Proximity that provides opportunityVulnerability that creates connectionDiscipleship that sets directionFun that amplifies graceMission that drives adventureSacrifice that matures loveBoundaries that sustain growth These principles seek to guide the reader beyond loneliness and isolation into a life of rootedness and connection.
Sacred Violence
by David Martin Jones M.L.R. SmithSacred Violence and Religious Violence examines the place that ideology or political religion plays in legitimizing violence to bring about a purer world. In particular, the book examines Islamism and the western secular, liberal democratic responses to it.
Sacred Violence
by Brent D. ShawOne route to understanding the nature of specifically religious violence is the study of past conflicts. Distinguished ancient historian Brent D. Shaw provides a new analysis of the intense sectarian battles between the Catholic and Donatist churches of North Africa in late antiquity, in which Augustine played a central role as Bishop of Hippo. The development and deployment of images of hatred, including that of the heretic, the pagan, and the Jew, and the modes by which these were most effectively employed, including the oral world of the sermon, were critical to promoting acts of violence. Shaw explores how the emerging ecclesiastical structures of the Christian church, on one side, and those of the Roman imperial state, on the other, interacted to repress or excite violent action. Finally, the meaning and construction of the acts themselves, including the Western idea of suicide, are shown to emerge from the conflict itself.
A Sacred Voice Is Calling: Personal Vocation And Social Conscience
by John NeafseyWhat does it mean to find and follow our personal calling? How do we distinguish between the "still, small voice" of our authentic vocation and all of the other competing counterfeit voices in our hearts and the needs of our world? Drawing widely on the wisdom of saints, sages, and the traditions of spiritual direction, Neafsey describes a path to living in the place, as Frederick Buechner has put it, "where our deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."
Sacred Waiting: Waiting on God in a World That Waits for Nothing
by David TimmsExamines waiting on God as an aspect of spiritual formation, showing that we learn patience, obedience, and trust through waiting. Includes biblical examples of waiting as well as illustrations from the church calendar.
The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life
by Tony JonesBroaden your spiritual horizons. How has spirituality changed in the last 500, 1,000, or even 2,000 years? How can ancient approaches to faith help my relationship with God today? In The Sacred Way, popular author and speaker Tony Jones mines the rich history of 16 spiritual disciplines that have flourished throughout the ages and offers practical tips for implementing them in your daily life. Find encouragement and challenge through time-tested disciplines such as: •Silence and solitude •The Jesus prayer •Meditation •Pilgrimage Explore these proven approaches to deepening your faith. As you do, your way of living your spiritual life will never be the same.
The Sacred Wilderness of Pastoral Ministry: Preparing a People for the Presence of the Lord
by David RohrerPastors often find themselves struggling to survive in the wilderness of the contemporary church scene. How do they remain faithful in light of the marginalization of organized religion, denominational strife, rapid demographic change, falling numbers and a general malaise among church members? Many pastors feel helpless, others hopeless. Sociologists and pollsters diagnose the problem but can't seem to come up with a solution. Is there hope? Author and pastor David Rohrer believes there is. John the Baptist also lived in the wilderness, yet crowds journeyed there to hear him. Why? Because John "affirmed what people already knew: that they were in desperate need of something more than the mundane practices of a religion that had been cut off from its source of life." John called people to remember their covenant relationship with God, which was established in the wilderness, and to let God guide them once again across the Jordan and into the Promised Land. Pastors, says Rohrer, "don't primarily exist to build and maintain the institution of the church. We exist to do a particular work through the church. In short, we don't simply have an institution to create, refine or maintain; we have a gospel to preach." John's prophetic voice prepared hearts to be receptive to Christ's work among them, to be transformed by the power of God. Herein lies hope! Using illustrations from everyday church life and decades of ministry experience, Rohrer carefully crafts a lively and realistic pastoral theology for ministry in the sacred wilderness. If you are a new pastor you have a sure guide here. If you are a veteran preacher you'll find just the refresher course you need to invigorate your ministry.