Religion

"This is a revised and updated edition of a foundational book on Wiccan ritual, with fresh new insights and changes for the twenty-first century. In the second edition of this classic witchcraft book, Deborah Lipp breaks down each part of ritual itself, discussing the theory and history behind it, why it's important to ritual, and how to do it effectively in one or more ways"--

An elderly lady once left 20,000 dollar and 'my Bible and all it contains' to her nephew. The young man knew what the Bible contained so he didn't bother to open it. He merely picked it up and put it on a high shelf in his house, and headed for Las Vegas. It wasn't long until all his money was gone. He lived the next 60 years as a pauper, scraping for every meal and barely having the clothes on his back. As he was moving to a convalescent home he reached up to grab that old Bible and accidentally dropped it from his trembling hands. It fell to the floor and opened, revealing a 100 dollar bill between every page. That man lived his life as a pauper when he could have lived in luxury, simply because of his prejudice. He thought he knew what the Bible contained. Most people don't know that the Bible contains a wealth of incredible scientific, medical and prophetic facts. The implications are mind bogglingâ¿¿

Love and Longing: Yearning for the Face of God, Sukina Noor's debut poetry collection encapsulates the voice of a seeker in pursuit of nearness to the Divine. The poems are not set in a faraway land where gnostics and mystics gather under the stars but rather her journey begins in the heart of the city where towers of concrete and steel clutter the skyline. Her poems express that the heart can become enflamed with love of the Divine anywhere and her devotion and intoxication are captured in this collection. Her poetry leans into her femininity giving birth to verse that is both tender and powerful. Her collection articulates that following a pathway to God is not a pursuit from a bygone era, but rather one can set out on the journey right now. This collection is an invitation to join the caravan of Sacred Love and never turn back.

Guidebook to walking La VA a de la Plata and Camino SanabrA (c)s, a pilgrim route through Spain. A 996km route between Seville and Santiago de Compostela or Astorga (where it links with the Camino FrancA (c)s). Ourense variants are also provided.

"Tender and powerful spiritual reflections and blessings that invite readers to honestly and joyfully walk through their everyday, wonderful, messy humanity ... [The author] invit[es] readers for the first time to fully embrace the terrible along with the beautiful by offering readers honest, heartfelt daily devotionals followed by blessings and action steps that lead readers to feel seen, heard and understood no matter what their day may bring. In addition, Bowler has written Advent and Lenten sections to round out the book that offer readers a rich, meaningful way to enter into these seasons of expectation and contemplation. Along the way, Bowler shares funny and poignant moments in her own life while enduring a dark season of pain. As she says, 'What I want more than anything is to bless you and me right now, and feel the truth of our realities without letting reality itself overwhelm us ... So here's to us having beautiful, terrible days'"--

'Ramadan isn't just about not eating for prolonged periods of time, it's about working on ourselves - our character and imaan - and setting goals, replacing bad habits and working on our spirituality. It's a time to focus on personal growth and to help others where we can.' - Dina Aziz____________________________________________________________The month of Ramadan is a time for reflection, self-improvement, personal growth, and of heightened devotion and worship, but the pressures and stresses of day-to-day life can sometimes make it feel hard to keep track of all your good intentions. From suhoor to iftar and beyond, The Ramadan Planner is here to help guide you through the month of Ramadan. Full of helpful checklists, reminders, journal prompts, and spaces to reflect - whether you're fasting or exempt - get ready to track your progress through the holiest month:Set and keep track of your goals for the month aheadCheck-in on your mood and mental healthFast mindfully and plan your suhoor and iftar mealsStay focused on your goals and good intentionsKeep track of your prayers for each dayMake a list of du'as and note down your good deedsCreate space to reflect on the highs and lowsPrepare for Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations Schedule your day to make the most of the month________________________________________________________What readers are saying about The Ramadan Planner:"So amazing that I wanted to share it with my family and friends""Incredible . . . I have been looking for something like this for a long time""The best! It's made Ramadan easier for me and many others""This has made a massive difference in how I'm using the days of Ramadan""So easy to follow . . . I don't know what I would have done without it""Using this planner is the most productive and closest to God I have been for any Ramadan"

"The rise of monotheistic religious faith in ancient Israel and post-exilic Judaism inspired the imperative for social justice on behalf of the poor and the oppressed. Though some authors have maintained that monotheism inspires tyranny, this author maintains that real monotheistic faith affirms justice and human equality"--

Why you don't have a self-and why that's a good thingIn Losing Ourselves, Jay Garfield, a leading expert on Buddhist philosophy, offers a brief and radically clear account of an idea that at first might seem frightening but that promises to liberate us and improve our lives, our relationships, and the world. Drawing on Indian and East Asian Buddhism, Daoism, Western philosophy, and cognitive neuroscience, Garfield shows why it is perfectly natural to think you have a self-and why it actually makes no sense at all and is even dangerous. Most importantly, he explains why shedding the illusion that you have a self can make you a better person.Examining a wide range of arguments for and against the existence of the self, Losing Ourselves makes the case that there are not only good philosophical and scientific reasons to deny the reality of the self, but that we can lead healthier social and moral lives if we understand that we are selfless persons. The book describes why the Buddhist idea of no-self is so powerful and why it has immense practical benefits, helping us to abandon egoism, act more morally and ethically, be more spontaneous, perform more expertly, and navigate ordinary life more skillfully. Getting over the self-illusion also means escaping the isolation of self-identity and becoming a person who participates with others in the shared enterprise of life.The result is a transformative book about why we have nothing to lose-and everything to gain-by losing our selves.

The word 'chastity', at first sight, may seem intimidating, something to be dismissed out of hand. It is, however, something very different to celibacy.At a time when religion is in decline in the Western world and when it often seems that the senses have run riot, Erik Varden shows that chastity, the single minded direction of the senses, is a loveable quality and one that affects and beautifies humankind.The terms sexuality and wholeness indicate that to be sexual is to exist in a state of incompleteness longing to be restored. Wholeness points to a healing embrace that we desire so greatly. In Biblical language, chastity is a function of simplicity of sight. We are no longer torn apart by our passions and our desires, indeed they may reach their fulfilment. Body and spirit, male and female, order and disorder, passion and death can move from creative tension to a new kind of wholeness.Varden's text is enriched by a wide range of references to scripture, literature, music, painting and sculpture.

"Tara, the Buddhist goddess of compassion, can manifest within all of us. In this accessible, illustrated introduction to Tara's twenty-one forms, respected female Buddhist teacher and practitioner Dorje Lopèon Chandra Easton guides you to activate your own power and healing by inviting Tara's awakened energy to come alive in yourself. Embodying Tara is a practical guide to core Buddhist concepts and teachings, featuring meditations, mantra recitations, and journal exercises to connect with Tara and your innate wisdom. The relatable stories from Buddhist history and the author's personal reflections will give you the tools to live a more compassionate life, befriend your fears, and overcome everyday challenges. The book lends a fresh approach and down-to-earth connection to one of Buddhism's most popular deities through stories of important women in modern history, like Jane Goodall, Nawal El Saadawi, Dipa Ma, Oprah Winfrey, and Yandana Shiva, and broader movements started by women, like Black Lives Matter and Me Too, that embody the qualities and enlightened activities of Tara. They demonstrate real-world compassion and generosity, as well as the capacity to transform anger into wisdom, harness joy to overcome adversity, and protect others from fear and danger. Their stories will inspire you to bring these aspects of Tara into the world in creative and socially conscious ways for the benefit of all"--

A magickal guide to working with runes and plant allies for manifestation, healing, and spellwork

Connects the magical practice of theurgy to the time of Homer.

For those who have been disappointed when the 'good life' let them down or discouraged by life's struggles, the goodness of God is trustworthy, life-giving, and everlasting. Jesus wants to lead you on a healing path to redeem your story and to make you whole.

What is the world's fundamental reality? Ideas are the fundamental realities, according to the great philosopher and thinker Plato.Plato claims that there is a different world of thoughts, also called "The World" of ideas. Our reason can understand it, but the existence of this world of ideas is not reliant on us. By asserting that there are some universal laws present in human reason that serve as the basis for knowing, Plato thus lays the groundwork for rationalism. Plato, supports Objective Idealism by highlighting the fact that concepts do not depend on humans for their existence.But how did the world of ideas become the real world?In Plato's Allegory of the Cave, a group of prisoners are confined in a cave since birth, with their heads fixed so they can only see the wall in front of them. Behind them is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners, objects are moved, casting shadows on the wall that the prisoners believe are reality. One of the prisoners is freed and sees the world outside the cave, realizing the truth. When he returns to the cave to tell the others, they do not believe him and remain in ignorance. The allegory represents the idea that humans may mistake what they see and hear for reality and need to seek knowledge beyond their perceptions. The Universal Sigils are being used as the standard symbolic means of manifestation and connection between our world and the world of ideas. A Magickal teller between realities. They can be used to represent ideas in the physical world and carry the corresponding energies through from other planes of existence in order to manifest in our realm of existence.These sigils can be used in spellwork, rituals, meditation, divination etc.

Pray Without Ceasing is a timeless classic on the subject of prayer by the renowned Christian author and teacher Zacharias Tanee Fomum. In this book, he shares powerful insights and practical advice on how to develop a vibrant and effective prayer life. Drawing from his extensive biblical knowledge and personal experience, he shows how prayer can be a dynamic force that transforms both the praying person and the world around them.Through five thought-provoking chapters, the author explores various aspects of prayer, including the importance of fasting, the need for self-sacrifice, the necessity of removing sin, and the role of the Holy Spirit in prayer. He challenges believers to embrace a lifestyle of prayer, characterized by intimacy with God and a willingness to serve Him with all their heart, soul, and strength.Whether you are a seasoned prayer minister or a newcomer to the faith, this book will inspire and equip you to pray without ceasing and experience the power of God in your life.Open your heart and mind, and let the Holy Spirit guide you on a journey that will revolutionize your prayer life and deepen your relationship with the Almighty.

In Get Past Your Past, licensed therapist and popular online content creator Jason VanRuler offers understanding, empathy, grace, and a hand to hold as he shares from his own places of brokenness and his learnings as a therapist to help readers embark upon their own journeys toward healing from the hardships, pitfalls, and missteps of life.

Cunning Words: a Grimoire of Tales and Magic is a book of witchcraft in three parts. Part I is a collection of stories that connect the seeker to folklore and tales inspired by witchery and lessons written within. Part II is a collection of rhymes that teach specific acts of witchcraft as well as recipes and petitions. Part III is a working guide on using the information provided to build upon your own personal practice as well as charms, rites, and curses extrapolated from the cunning tales.This book is for the most cunning and has been written for the beginner and adept alike. The tales within will introduce you to spirits old and new, the Three Mothers, the Three Wise Healers, The Seven Holy Siblings, and so much more.

The Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus; abbreviated Ecclus.) is a Jewish work, originally in Hebrew, of ethical teachings, from approximately 200 to 175 BCE, written by the Judahite scribe Ben Sira of Jerusalem, on the inspiration of his father Joshua son of Sirach, sometimes called Jesus son of Sirach or Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira.In Egypt, it was translated into Greek by the author's unnamed grandson, who added a prologue. This prologue is generally considered the earliest witness to a canon of the books of the prophets, and thus the date of the text is the subject of intense scrutiny. The book itself is the largest wisdom book from antiquity to have survived. Although excluded from the Jewish canon, Sirach was read and quoted as authoritative from the beginning of the rabbinic period. There are numerous citations to Sirach in the Talmud and works of rabbinic literature (as "ספר בן סירא", e.g., Hagigah 13a, Niddah 16b; Ber. 11b). Some of those (Sanhedrin 100b) record an unresolved debate between R'Joseph and Abaye as to whether it is forbidden to read the book of Sirach, wherein Abaye repeatedly draws parallels between statements in Sirach cited by R'Joseph as objectionable and similar statements appearing in canonical books.Sirach may have been used as a basis for two important parts of the Jewish liturgy. In the Mahzor (High Holiday prayer book), a medieval Jewish poet may have used Sirach as the basis for a poem, Mar'e Kohen, in the Yom Kippur musaf ("additional") service for the High Holidays. Yosef Tabori questioned whether this passage in Sirach is referring at all to Yom Kippur, and thus argued it cannot form the basis of this poem. Some early 20th-century scholars also argued that the vocabulary and framework used by Sirach formed the basis of the most important of all Jewish prayers, the Amidah, but that conclusion is disputed as well.Current scholarship takes a more conservative approach. On one hand, scholars find that "Ben Sira links Torah and wisdom with prayer in a manner that calls to mind the later views of the Rabbis", and that the Jewish liturgy echoes Sirach in the "use of hymns of praise, supplicatory prayers and benedictions, as well as the occurrence of [Biblical] words and phrases [that] take on special forms and meanings." However, they stop short of concluding a direct relationship existed; rather, what "seems likely is that the Rabbis ultimately borrowed extensively from the kinds of circles which produced Ben Sira and the Dead Sea Scrolls ...." Some Christians regard the catalogue of famous men in Sirach as containing several messianic references. The first occurs during the verses on David. Sirach 47:11 reads "The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his power for ever; he gave him the covenant of kings and a throne of glory in Israel." This references the covenant of 2 Samuel 7, which pointed toward the Messiah. "Power" (Hebrew qeren) is literally translated as 'horn'. This word is often used in a messianic and Davidic sense (e.g. Ezekiel 29:21, Psalms 132:17, Zechariah 6:12, Jeremiah 33:15). It is also used in the Benedictus to refer to Jesus ("and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David").Another verse (47:22) that Christians interpret messianically begins by again referencing 2 Samuel 7. This verse speaks of Solomon and goes on to say that David's line will continue forever. The verse ends stating that "he gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David a root of his stock." This references Isaiah's prophecy of the Messiah: "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots"; and "In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek..." (Isaiah 11:1, 10). (wikipedia.org)

The Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus ; abbreviated Ecclus.) is a Jewish work, originally in Hebrew, of ethical teachings, from approximately 200 to 175 BCE, written by the Judahite scribe Ben Sira of Jerusalem, on the inspiration of his father Joshua son of Sirach, sometimes called Jesus son of Sirach or Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira.In Egypt, it was translated into Greek by the author's unnamed grandson, who added a prologue. This prologue is generally considered the earliest witness to a canon of the books of the prophets, and thus the date of the text is the subject of intense scrutiny. The book itself is the largest wisdom book from antiquity to have survived. Although excluded from the Jewish canon, Sirach was read and quoted as authoritative from the beginning of the rabbinic period. There are numerous citations to Sirach in the Talmud and works of rabbinic literature (as "¿¿¿ ¿¿ ¿¿¿¿", e.g., Hagigah 13a, Niddah 16b; Ber. 11b). Some of those (Sanhedrin 100b) record an unresolved debate between R'Joseph and Abaye as to whether it is forbidden to read the book of Sirach, wherein Abaye repeatedly draws parallels between statements in Sirach cited by R'Joseph as objectionable and similar statements appearing in canonical books.Sirach may have been used as a basis for two important parts of the Jewish liturgy. In the Mahzor (High Holiday prayer book), a medieval Jewish poet may have used Sirach as the basis for a poem, Mar'e Kohen, in the Yom Kippur musaf ("additional") service for the High Holidays. Yosef Tabori questioned whether this passage in Sirach is referring at all to Yom Kippur, and thus argued it cannot form the basis of this poem. Some early 20th-century scholars also argued that the vocabulary and framework used by Sirach formed the basis of the most important of all Jewish prayers, the Amidah, but that conclusion is disputed as well.Current scholarship takes a more conservative approach. On one hand, scholars find that "Ben Sira links Torah and wisdom with prayer in a manner that calls to mind the later views of the Rabbis", and that the Jewish liturgy echoes Sirach in the "use of hymns of praise, supplicatory prayers and benedictions, as well as the occurrence of [Biblical] words and phrases [that] take on special forms and meanings." However, they stop short of concluding a direct relationship existed; rather, what "seems likely is that the Rabbis ultimately borrowed extensively from the kinds of circles which produced Ben Sira and the Dead Sea Scrolls ...." Some Christians regard the catalogue of famous men in Sirach as containing several messianic references. The first occurs during the verses on David. Sirach 47:11 reads "The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his power for ever; he gave him the covenant of kings and a throne of glory in Israel." This references the covenant of 2 Samuel 7, which pointed toward the Messiah. "Power" (Hebrew qeren) is literally translated as 'horn'. This word is often used in a messianic and Davidic sense (e.g. Ezekiel 29:21, Psalms 132:17, Zechariah 6:12, Jeremiah 33:15). It is also used in the Benedictus to refer to Jesus ("and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David").Another verse (47:22) that Christians interpret messianically begins by again referencing 2 Samuel 7. This verse speaks of Solomon and goes on to say that David's line will continue forever. The verse ends stating that "he gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David a root of his stock." This references Isaiah's prophecy of the Messiah: "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots"; and "In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek..." (Isaiah 11:1, 10). (wikipedia.org)