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Religion
A radical presentation of the most rigorous form of contemporary yoga as meditation in motion The Art of Vinyasa takes a unique look at Ashtanga yoga as meditation in motion that produces profound inner change. Two of the most well-respected teachers of the Ashtanga style of yoga, Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, explore this rigorous practice not as a gymnastic feat, but as a meditative form. They reveal that doing the practice--and particularly the vinyasa, or the breath-synchonized movements--in such a deep and focused way allows practitioners to experience a profound awakening of the body and mind. It also develops an adaptable, flexible practice that can last a lifetime. Freeman and Taylor give an in-depth explanation of form, alignment, and anatomy, and how they work together in the practice. They also present a holistic approach to asana practice that includes an awareness of the subtle breath, and seamlessly merges yoga philosophy with practical technique. Unlike other books on Ashtanga, The Art of Vinyasa does not follow the linear pattern of the sequences of postures that are the hallmark of Ashtanga yoga. Instead, it interlinks the eight limbs: yama and niyama (ethical practices), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (nongrasping of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), samadhi (harmony, insight)--and shows how to establish an internally rooted yoga practice.
This perennially popular book of advice on how to achieve personal and professional success is valued for its timeless insights on how to make one's way in the world. Written in the seventeenth century by a Spanish Jesuit scholar, these teachings are strikingly modern in tone and address universal concerns such as friendship, morality, managing emotions, and effective leadership. The Art of Worldly Wisdom is for anyone seeking to combine ethical behavior with worldly success. This edition of The Art of Worldly Wisdom includes an informative introduction by Willis Barnstone, Distinguished Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature at Indiana University. Barnstone, a noted translator, critic, and poet, explores Gracián's background and places him within his historical and literary context.
Asanas: 708 Yoga Postures is the most comprehensive illustrated guide to classic hatha yoga ever published. There is absolutely nothing like it currently available. In 1974, legendary "teacher of teachers" yogi Dharma Mittra created the Ultimate Yoga Chart as an offering to his guru, Swami Kailashananda (Yogi Gupta). Setting up a camera in his New York City studio, Dharma Mittra photographed himself in 908 yoga postures, sometimes snapping the picture by holding the trigger between his teeth. He then printed each of the photos as an 8 x 10, and then pasted them together and finally produced a poster of all the postures. The effect is like an Escher drawing: you can't tell what is shown until you get very close, but the picture seems to move and evolve as you watch. Asanas is a stylish, design-driven book that -- for the first time ever -- collects these black and white photogrpahs and provides brief commentary.
"Followers and newcomers to Nhat Hanh's teaching alike will find this collection inspiring for everyday practice and for social engagement in the world."--Publishers Weekly This collection of autobiographical and teaching stories from peace activist and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is thought provoking, inspiring, and enjoyable to read. Collected here for the first time, these stories span the author's life. There are stories from Thich Nhat Hanh's childhood and the traditions of rural Vietnam. There are stories from his years as a teenaged novice, as a young teacher and writer in war torn Vietnam, and of his travels around the world to teach mindfulness, make pilgrimages to sacred sites, and influence world leaders. The tradition of teaching the Dharma through stories goes back at least to the time of the Buddha. Like the Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh uses story-telling to engage people's interest so he can share important teachings, insights, and life lessons.
Among all the great transitions that have marked Western history, only one--the triumph of Christianity--can be called in the fullest sense a "revolution"
In this provocative book one of the most brilliant scholars of religion today dismantles distorted religious "histories" offered up by Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and other contemporary critics of religion and advocates of atheism. David Bentley Hart provides a bold correction of the New Atheists's misrepresentations of the Christian past, countering their polemics with a brilliant account of Christianity and its message of human charity as the most revolutionary movement in all of Western history.
Hart outlines how Christianity transformed the ancient world in ways we may have forgotten: bringing liberation from fatalism, conferring great dignity on human beings, subverting the cruelest aspects of pagan society, and elevating charity above all virtues. He then argues that what we term the "Age of Reason" was in fact the beginning of the eclipse of reason's authority as a cultural value. Hart closes the book in the present, delineating the ominous consequences of the decline of Christendom in a culture that is built upon its moral and spiritual values.
Meditation offers, in addition to its many other benefits, a method for achieving previously inconceivable levels of concentration. Author B. Alan Wallace has nearly thirty years' practice in attention-enhancing meditation, including a retreat he performed under the guidance of the Dalai Lama. An active participant in the much-publicized dialogues between Buddhists and scientists, Alan is uniquely qualified to speak intelligently to both camps, and The Attention Revolution is the definitive presentation of his knowledge. Beginning by pointing out the ill effects that follow from our inability to focus, Wallace moves on to explore a systematic path of meditation to deepen our capacity for deep concentration. The result is an exciting, rewarding expedition of the mind, tracing everything from the confusion at the bottom of the trail to the extraordinary clarity and power that come with making it to the top. Along the way, the author also provides interludes and complementary practices for cultivating love, compassion, and clarity in our waking and dreaming lives. Attention is the key that makes personal change possible, and the good news is that it can be trained. This book shows how.
Authority, Anxiety, and Canon elucidates a principle fundamental to Hinduism's self-understanding--the Veda--while at the same time examining the methodological issues of the role of canon in religious tradition. Spanning the early periods of Indian religious history up to the twentieth century, the book combines theoretical sophistication and detailed scholarship to produce one of the first comprehensive works on Vedic interpretation since Louis Renou's Le Destin Du Veda.
Hindu beliefs in avatars, heavenly beings who come down to earth to restore right and destroy wrong, are more than 2000 years old. For the greater part of this history, beliefs in avatars have run parallel to the Christian doctrine of incarnation, the manifestation of God in Jesus. This study looks at the origin and development of these doctrines of avatar and incarnation, not just in Christianity and Hinduism, but also in other religions with comparable elements, such as Buddhism, Jainism and Islam. Geoffrey Parrinder explores the scriptural sources for these doctrines and surveys the commentaries of theologians past and present. His absorbing examination of key issues, such as Christian belief in the uniqueness of Christ versus belief in successive avatars, the relationship between historicity and legend and the humanity - divinity debate, produces a rich and detailed comparison of the variety of beliefs in the earthly manifestation of the deity.
While a rational consciousness grasps many truths, Gananath Obeyesekere believes an even richer knowledge is possible through a bold confrontation with the stuff of visions and dreams. Spanning both Buddhist and European forms of visionary experience, he fearlessly pursues the symbolic, nonrational depths of such phenomena, reawakening the intuitive, creative impulses that power greater understanding.
Throughout his career, Obeyesekere has combined psychoanalysis and anthropology to illuminate the relationship between personal symbolism and religious experience. In this book, he begins with Buddha's visionary trances wherein, over the course of four hours, he witnesses hundreds of thousands of his past births and eons of world evolution, renewal, and disappearance. He then connects this fracturing of empirical and visionary time to the realm of space, considering the experience of a female Christian penitent, who stares devotedly at a tiny crucifix only to see the space around it expand to mirror Christ's suffering. Obeyesekere follows the unconscious motivations underlying rapture, the fantastical consumption of Christ's body and blood, and body mutilation and levitation, bridging medieval Catholicism and the movements of early modern thought as reflected in William Blake's artistic visions and poetic dreams. He develops the term "dream-ego" through a discussion of visionary journeys, Carl Jung's and Sigmund Freud's scientific dreaming, and the cosmic and erotic dream-visions of New Age virtuosos, and he defines the parameters of a visionary mode of knowledge that provides a more elastic understanding of truth. A career-culminating work, this volume translates the epistemology of Hindu and Buddhist thinkers for western audiences while revitalizing western philosophical and scientific inquiry.
Comprehensive and coherent, this guide to a complex system of Buddhism is so authoritative that it has been employed in the instruction of Buddhist priests. Readers will find that it offers the keys to the essentials of Mahayana Buddhism, a liberal and theistic branch of the faith practiced chiefly in China and Japan.
Translated by the distinguished scholar Teitaro Suzuki, the text discusses how humans can transcend their finite state to partake in the life of the infinite. Practices and techniques to assist believers in the awakening and growth of faith appear here, in addition to the most developed form of tathagata-garbha, or Buddha-matrix teachings.
This accessible work was written specifically for those who prefer a brief and pithy presentation to extensive discourse.
Translated by the distinguished scholar Teitaro Suzuki, the text discusses how humans can transcend their finite state to partake in the life of the infinite. Practices and techniques to assist believers in the awakening and growth of faith appear here, in addition to the most developed form of tathagata-garbha, or Buddha-matrix teachings.
This accessible work was written specifically for those who prefer a brief and pithy presentation to extensive discourse.
When Roshi Philip Kapleau returned to the United States in 1966, after thirteen years of training in Japan with two of the country's greatest masters of Zen, he "did not come home empty-handed -- he brought us a living word of Zen," Kenneth Kraft has said. The first Westerner fully and naturally at home with Zen, Roshi Kapleau has made it his life's work to translate Zen Buddhism into an American idiom, to take Zen's essence and plant it in American soil. Four decades later, the seeds of Zen that Roshi Kapleau planted have blossomed. Zen flourishes and Roshi Kapleau continues to help people find enlightenment and fulfillment within, not outside, their daily lives. "True awakening," Roshi Kapleau has said, "is not a 'high' that keeps one in the clouds of an abstract oneness, but a realization that brings one solidly down to earth into the world of toil and struggle." Kapleau has written a number of books in his lifetime, The Three Pillars of Zen the most well known among them, but the heart of his work, his teachings to his students, has never before been made available. Awakening to Zen extracts the vital threads of Roshi Kapleau's teachings and braids them into a strong yet supple cord that readers may follow toward a deeper understanding of the enlightened life. Roshi Kapleau's warm, sometimes humorous but always grounded lessons touch on every aspect of daily reality; they capture his power, too, to transform the lives of not just practicing Buddhists, but all people who seek to experience in a more authentic way the bond they share with the world around them. One way or another, Roshi Kapleau has spent the past forty-three years of his life helping make Zen practice and its fruits accessible to anyone of sincere intent. Awakening to Zen offers a crucial and never-before-published aspect of his life's work.
Master Wang Shujin (1904--1981) was one of the world's foremost exponents of Chinese internal martial arts, with legendary expertise in the disciplines of Bagua Zhang, Taiji Quan, and Xingyi Quan. This book offers a lucid translation of Master Wang's seminal work on Bagua Zhang and includes expanded instruction by co-translator and noted Bagua Zhang expert Kent Howard. It also introduces readers to a rarely seen personal side of Wang Shujin, who was not only a fighter but also a teacher and spiritual leader. Bagua Linked Palms includes a wealth of additional information useful to the practitioner of internal martial arts, including the story of Bagua Zhang's development, the connection between the Bagua and the I Ching, and step-by-step instruction in the eight "changes" of Bagua Linked Palms, the first form in Master Wang's style of Bagua Zhang. This comprehensive, richly annotated text makes it a must-have addition to every serious martial arts library.
Bagua Swimming Body Palms is the second book written by Wang Shujin, one of the world's foremost exponents of Chinese internal martial arts and a renowned expert of Bagua Zhang. This volume continues the process of bringing Master Wang's important art to Western readers. More intricate than the Linked Palms form, Swimming Body Palms helps practitioners achieve fluent body mechanics and the ability to connect and flow from one movement to the next with power. Master Wang, who taught Swimming Palms to only a few advanced students, described it as "swim-walking," or swimming around the body.
Bagua Swimming Body Palms offers a thorough grounding in the basics of Bagua principles and practice, and illuminates the connection between the cultural meanings of the I Ching and the physical movements of Bagua Zhang. The photographs from the Chinese book are reprinted, along with hundreds of new photographs of translator Kent Howard demonstrating the exercises in greater detail. Sifu Howard provides extensive commentary on Master Wang's writings, and Daoist master Huang Jinsheng contributes a thoughtful essay on Master Wang's spiritual practice with the esoteric Daoist sect Yi Guan Dao. The book's engaging style, fidelity to the Chinese text, and comprehensiveness make it a welcome addition to any martial arts library.
Bagua Swimming Body Palms offers a thorough grounding in the basics of Bagua principles and practice, and illuminates the connection between the cultural meanings of the I Ching and the physical movements of Bagua Zhang. The photographs from the Chinese book are reprinted, along with hundreds of new photographs of translator Kent Howard demonstrating the exercises in greater detail. Sifu Howard provides extensive commentary on Master Wang's writings, and Daoist master Huang Jinsheng contributes a thoughtful essay on Master Wang's spiritual practice with the esoteric Daoist sect Yi Guan Dao. The book's engaging style, fidelity to the Chinese text, and comprehensiveness make it a welcome addition to any martial arts library.
One of the world's oldest and greatest religions, Buddhish--like its companions, Christianity and Islam--has experienced schism and division which scatter its teachings among separate sects, nations and sets of ritual practice. Nonetheless, it is possible to identify common teachings which form the essence of Buddhist belief. This book provides lucid explanations of such fundamental concepts as the Three Treasures, the seals of the law, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the law of causation, and the threefold learning--teachings that all Buddhists honor, which bare the heart of this complicated and magnificently profound religion.
In Basic Teachings of the Buddha, Glenn Wallis selects sixteen essential dialogues drawn from more than five thousand Pali-dialect suttas of the Buddhist canon. The result is a vibrant introductory guide to studying Buddhist thought, applying its principles to everyday life, and gaining a deeper understanding of Buddhist themes in modern literature. Focusing on the most crucial topics for today's readers, Wallis presents writings that address modern psychological, religious, ethical, and philosophical concerns. This practical, inspiring, and engaging volume provides an overview of the history of Buddhism and an illuminating analysis of the core writings that personalizes the suttas for each reader. "Glenn Wallis brings wisdom and compassion to this work of scholarship. Everyone should read this book."
-Christopher Queen, Harvard University "A valuable sourcebook with a good selection of the fundamental suttas enhanced by an eloquent introduction and comprehensive notes-altogether a very useful text."
-Peter Matthiessen (Roshi), author of The Snow Leopard and Nine-Headed Dragon River "Glenn Wallis's new and accessible translations of some of the Buddha's lectures to his original students, along with Wallis's elegant guide to the texts, gives twenty-first-century readers in the modern West a fresh chance to learn from this teacher."
-Charles Hallisey, University of Wisconsin-Madison
-Christopher Queen, Harvard University "A valuable sourcebook with a good selection of the fundamental suttas enhanced by an eloquent introduction and comprehensive notes-altogether a very useful text."
-Peter Matthiessen (Roshi), author of The Snow Leopard and Nine-Headed Dragon River "Glenn Wallis's new and accessible translations of some of the Buddha's lectures to his original students, along with Wallis's elegant guide to the texts, gives twenty-first-century readers in the modern West a fresh chance to learn from this teacher."
-Charles Hallisey, University of Wisconsin-Madison
In the late twentieth century, fundamentalism has emerged as one of the most powerful forces at work in the world, contesting the dominance of modern secular values and threatening peace and harmony around the globe. Yet it remains incomprehensible to a large number of people. In The Battle for God, Karen Armstrong brilliantly and sympathetically shows us how and why fundamentalist groups came into existence and what they yearn to accomplish. We see the West in the sixteenth century beginning to create an entirely new kind of civilization, which brought in its wake change in every aspect of life -- often painful and violent, even if liberating. Armstrong argues that one of the things that changed most was religion. People could no longer think about or experience the divine in the same way; they had to develop new forms of faith to fit their new circumstances. Armstrong characterizes fundamentalism as one of these new ways of being religious that have emerged in every major faith tradition. Focusing on Protestant fundamentalism in the United States, Jewish fundamentalism in Israel, and Muslim fundamentalism in Egypt and Iran, she examines the ways in which these movements, while not monolithic, have each sprung from a dread of modernity -- often in response to assault (sometimes unwitting, sometimes intentional) by the mainstream society. Armstrong sees fundamentalist groups as complex, innovative, and modern -- rather than as throwbacks to the past -- but contends that they have failed in religious terms. Maintaining that fundamentalism often exists in symbiotic relationship with an aggressive modernity, each impelling the other on to greater excess, she suggests compassion as a way to defuse what is now an intensifying conflict. BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Karen Armstrong's Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life.
Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1769) is one of the most influential figures in Zen Buddhism. He revitalized the Rinzai Zen tradition (which emphasizes the use of koans, or unanswerable questions, in meditation practice), and all masters of that school today trace their lineage back through him. He is responsible for the most famous of all koans: What is the sound of one hand clapping? He is also famous for his striking and humorous art, which he also regarded as teaching. This book provides a rare, intimate look at Hakuin the man, through his personal correspondence. Beating the Cloth Drum contains twenty-eight of Hakuin's letters to students, political figures, fellow teachers, laypeople, and friends. Each letter is accompanied by extensive commentary and notes. They showcase Hakuin's formidable, thoughtful, and sometimes playful personality--and they show that the great master used every activity, including letter-writing, as an opportunity to impart the teachings that were so close to his heart.
The prominent Zen Buddhist scholar and author of The Wisdom of Insecurity draws on Taoism, Christianity, and other world religions to explore the dilemma of seeking your true self In this collection of writings, including nine new chapters never before available in book form, Alan Watts displays the intelligence, playfulness of thought, and simplicity of language that has made him so perennially popular as an interpreter of Eastern thought for Westerners. He draws on a variety of religious traditions, and covers topics such as the challenge of seeing one's life "just as it is," the Taoist approach to harmonious living, the limits of language in the face of ineffable spiritual truth, and the psychological symbolism of Christian thought.
A landmark exploration of the human condition with the goal of bringing self-awareness in one's daily life With Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson, G. I. Gurdjieff intended to "destroy, mercilessly . . . the beliefs and views about everything existing in the world." This novel beautifully brings to life the visions of humanity for which Gurdjieff has become esteemed. Beelzebub, a man of worldly (and other-worldly) wisdom, shares with his grandson the anecdotes, personal philosophies, and lessons learned from his own life.The reader is given a detailed discussion of all matters physical, natural, and spiritual, from the creation of the cosmos to man's teleological purpose in the universe. This edition of Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson--the first single-volume paperback to appear in English--restores the original, authoritative translation.
Meditation is an invitation to discover a sense of deep well-being and inner richness that can transform every aspect of life. But where to start? Christina Feldman shows where in this comprehensive, accessible primer. Featuring over 100 color photos, this guide helps seekers both get started and maintain motivation. In simple, clear language, Feldman explains when to meditate, how to create a meditation space, what to wear, how to sit or lie (including advice on chairs and beds), how to acknowledge waxing and waning interest, and how to sustain dedication and perseverance. A long-time practitioner and teacher, Feldman draws on her experience in the book's guided meditations on such subjects as mindfulness of breathing; counting and naming; agitation and acceptance; restless and calm; and much more. She helps readers turn their attention to their everyday life to gain new understanding of -- and more nurturing results from -- walking, eating, listening, speaking, and creating simplicity.
Here is a comprehensive introduction to Zen Buddhism for those who don't know how or where to begin, nor what to expect once they have started practicing. It includes the fundamentals of meditation practice (posture, technique, clothing), descriptions of the basic teachings and major texts, the teacher-student relationship, and what you will find when you visit a zendo, plus a history of Zen from the founding of Buddhism to its major schools in the West. In addition to answering the most frequently asked questions, it offers a listing of American Zen centers and resources, an annotated bibliography, and a glossary. Jean Smith's enormously practical approach ensures that The Beginner's Guide to Zen Buddhism will become the book teachers and students alike will recommend.
"Writing a 'nuts and bolts' guide that is genuinely wise, charmingly conversational, and a pleasure to read requires a particular talent, and Jean Smith has proved once again that she has it."--Sylvia Boorstein, author of Don't Just Do Something, Sit There The third of Jean Smith's Beginner's Guides focuses on the Buddha's Eightfold Path--the concepts central to practicing the Buddha's teachings in daily life. The eight steps on the path are: right understanding, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. Smith explains exactly what the Buddha had in mind, using translations of his own words and then elucidating them for us. Throughout the book are wonderful quotes from a broad range of Buddhist teachers, giving a taste of the very best each of them has to offer. The Beginner's Guide to Walking the Buddha's Eightfold Path is a prescription for happiness, not just for overcoming suffering, which is how many people think of Buddhism. Here is a book for Buddhists of every tradition.
Winner of the National Jewish Book Award
Since its publication in 1995, The Beginning of Desire has opened new pathways in the reading of the Bible. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg's innovative use of midrash, literature, philosophy, and psychoanalysis draws deeply upon the familiar biblical narratives to produce interpretations that are at once startlingly beautiful and completely authentic. Illuminating the tensions that grip human beings as they search for an encounter with God, Zornberg gives us a brilliant analysis of the stories of Adam and Eve; Noah; Abraham and Sarah; Isaac and Rebecca; Jacob, Rachel, and Leah; and Joseph and his brothers.
A bestseller with over 250,000 copies sold, Being Peace is the seminal founding work by Zen Master and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh. With a new introduction by Jack Kornfield and the first update since its release over fifteen years ago, this eloquent meditation on "being peace in order to make peace" is more relevant than ever. A book for everyone concerned about the state of the world and the quality of our lives, it has lost none of its timeliness since it was first published in 1987. It is filled with practical suggestions how to create a more peaceful world "right in the moment we are alive." Contains Thich Nhat Hanh's key practices, including a guide to the practice of reconciliation which has become a peacemaking tool in many other religious traditions. This beautiful, newly revised edition is the perfect starting point for those who are getting their first introduction to Buddhism as well as a must-have for those already engaged in the tradition. With illustrations by Mayumi Oda.
Being Upright takes us beyond the conventional interpretation of ethical precepts to the ultimate meaning that informs them. Reb Anderson first introduces us to the fundamental ideas of Zen Buddhist practice. Who was Shakyamuni Buddha and what was his central teaching? What does it mean to be a bodhisattva and take the bodhisattva vow? Why should we confess and acknowledge our ancient twisted karma? What is the significance of taking refuge in Buddha, dharma, and sangha? The author explores the ten basic precepts, including not killing, not stealing, not lying, not misusing sexuality, and not using intoxicants. A gifted storyteller, Anderson takes us to the heart of situations, where moral judgments are not easy and we do not have all the answers. With wisdom and compassion, he teaches us how to confront the emotional and ethical turmoil of our lives.
Saint Benedict's Rule--a set of guidelines that has governed Christian monastic life since the sixth century--continues to fascinate laypeople and monastics alike. Buddhist monks and nuns have been intrigued by Benedict's insights into human nature and by the similarities between Christian and Buddhist traditions. Now, through personal anecdotes and thoughtful comparison, four prominent Buddhist scholars--including Joseph Goldstein and Yifa--reveal how the wisdom of each tradition can revitalize the other. Benedict's Dharma is a lively and compelling dialogue which will appeal not only to Buddhists and Christians, but to anyone interested in rediscovering the value of an ancient discipline in the modern world. Edited by Patrick Henry, with a new translation of the Rule of Saint Benedict by Patrick Barry, OSB.
The first major poem in English literature, "Beowulf" tells the story of the life and death of the legendary hero Beowolf in his three great battles with supernatural monsters. Beowulf is an example of the heroic spirit at its finest, the ideal Anglo-Saxon warrior-aristocrat. The epic poem celebrates both his magnificent courage in his battles with Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the Dragon, and his leadership and loyalty in dealing with his fellow men. At the same time, the poem is a deeply felt elegy for the passing of such virtues and is permeated with a tragic sense of man's fate in an uncertain world. The complexity of the anonymous poet's vision and the power of his language make "Beowulf" a unique achievement in Old English.
Named one of the Best Poetry Books of 2021 by The Guardian
Longlisted for the 2021 National Translation Award in Poetry. Picked for Kirkus Reviews' Best Fiction in Translation of 2020. Named a Book of the Year by NPR, Vox, and The New Statesman. Picked for Loyalty Books' Holiday List.
New York Times bestseller
"A thrill . . . Beowulf was Tolkien's lodestar. Everything he did led up to or away from it." --New Yorker J.R.R. Tolkien completed his translation of Beowulf in 1926: he returned to it later to make hasty corrections, but seems never to have considered its publication. This edition includes an illuminating written commentary on the poem by the translator himself, drawn from a series of lectures he gave at Oxford in the 1930s. His creative attention to detail in these lectures gives rise to a sense of the immediacy and clarity of his vision. It is as if Tolkien entered into the imagined past: standing beside Beowulf and his men shaking out their mail-shirts as they beach their ship on the coast of Denmark, listening to Beowulf's rising anger at Unferth's taunting, or looking up in amazement at Grendel's terrible hand set under the roof of Heorot. "Essential for students of the Old English poem--and the ideal gift for devotees of the One Ring." --Kirkus
The Classics of Western Spirituality(TM) series has itself become the acknowledged 'classic' in English for the study of Western spirituality. Jorge Floria BÉRULLE AND THE FRENCH SCHOOL-SELECTED WRITINGS edited with an introduction by William M. Thompson translation by Lowell M. Glendon, S.S. preface by Susan A. Muto This new opinion, which has little following in the science of the stars, is useful and should be followed in the science of salvation. For Jesus is the sun which is immovable in his greatness and which moves all other things. Jesus is like his Father. Seated at his right hand, he is immovable like him and moves all things. Jesus is the true center of the world and the world should be in continuous movement towards him. Jesus is the Sun of our souls and from him we receive every grace, every light, and every effect of his power. Pierre de Bérulle (1575-1629) The seventeenth century was the period of transition between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. It witnessed the rise of the great European powers, the beginnings of modern science and the myriad inventions that changed age-old ways of life. It saw Copernicus and Newton, Harvey and Galileo, Bacon and Descartes. During its course, the New World was settled and the Old reshaped. Seventeenth-century France saw the application of the new spirit of exploration and analysis to matters of the soul. Pierre de Bérulle, John Eudes, Jean-Jacques Olier and Mother Madeleine de Saint-Joseph left an indelible mark on the history of Christian spirituality in the West. Much of our current understanding of spirituality had its beginnings with these authors. In his penetrating and probing introduction, Professor William M. Thompson presents the French school as a creative response to the challenge of the modern age that dawned with the seventeenth century. He shows how these authors created a science of the saints that blended metaphysical speculations with flights of mystical love. Their fascination with the intersection between human and divine experience unlocked for them the true meaning of humanity and focused their attention on the mystery of the Incarnation as a sublime mystery of adoration and service. This volume is a comprehensive introduction to the spirituality of seventeenth-century France, containing, among others, selections from Bérulle's Discourse on the State and Grandeurs of Jesus, Madeleine de Saint-Joseph's Spiritual Letters, Jean-Jacques Olier's Introduction to the Christian Life and Virtues, and John Eudes's The Life and Kingdom of Jesus in Christian Souls. +