Ancient Religion

Thomas à Kempis' collection of meditative writings from the Bretheren of the Common Life is the most widely read book in the world after the Bible. The reflective devotions have been a heartening friend to great men such as Thomas More, St. Ignatius Loyola, Thomas Merton, Pope John Paul I, and John Wesley. Learning to live live Jesus is the central task that A. Kempis explores in this classic devotional. This book provides comfort and counsel to every person who seeks to live a more connected and whole life.

For our ancestors, collective intelligence was a normal part of life. We see it today as the mysterious force that enables flocks of birds, swarms of bees, and schools of fish to function together in perfect synchrony, communicating and cooperating at some undetectable level. At its most subtle, it’s an instantaneous knowing, shared by members of a group, of the wisest course of action that will benefit all.

The Fathers have something important to teach the modern Church about evangelization. Among Mike Aquilina's many works about the Church Fathers, this is his most complete and compelling overview of the Fathers' amazing achievements.

No end of books these days offer us techniques for self-improvement. Taking a different tack, Robin Phillips shows that God meets us where we are, in the pain and heartache of the present moment. Instead of looking for a way to escape from hardship, we can cultivate an attitude of gratitude, peace, and self-acceptance that will transform our experience of suffering.

This deeply researched and insightful book examines the causes, course, and historical significance of the Jews' failed revolt against Rome from 66 to 74 CE, including the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. Based on a comprehensive study of all the evidence and new statistical data, Guy Rogers argues that the Jewish rebels fought for their religious and political freedom and lost owing to military mistakes.

When the rabbis composed the Mishnah in the late second or early third century C.E., the Jerusalem Temple had been destroyed for more than a century. Why, then, do the Temple and its ritual feature so prominently in the Mishnah? Against the view that the rabbis were reacting directly to the destruction and asserting that nothing had changed, Naftali S. Cohn argues that the memory of the Temple served a political function for the rabbis in their own time.

The 20th-century elder Abba Matta of Egypt, known in the West as Matthew the Poor, is widely regarded as the greatest Egyptian elder since St. Antony the Great. He produced a huge and varied body of work in Arabic, only a little of which has been translated into English. In addition, a great many of his informal talks to monks and visitors were recorded. This volume is the first appearance in English of a small selection of these talks.

This eight-session study of the Book of Psalms masterfully mixes scholarly and practical teaching of one of the most well-read wisdom Books. Sandra Richter’s pedagogy offers every modern listener the scaffolding they cannot bring to the table themselves and introduces the people of God today to their ancestors in the faith in a cross-cultural-experience kind of way. There will be numerous connections to contemporary worship and devotional practices and focus on a few psalms that have become “classics” in the Christian world and need a deeper explanation.

Ancient Mesopotamian religion continues to captivate people for many of the same reasons today's best known religions and their histories fascinate people. The religion practiced by the Ancient Mesopotamians provides a certain mix between the mundane and the surreal, and at the same time aspects of it are both familiar and bizarre to people today. Some find themselves drawn to it based on its preeminent position in religious history as the oldest documented religion in the world.

In Behind the Flying Saucer Mystery: Ancient Astronauts, the Space Brothers, and the Silence Group, renowned contactee George Adamski reveals the strange people, powers, and events that lie behind the UFO mystery.

Cleopatra. Nefertiti. Hatshepsut. All of them are ancient Egyptian female rulers who rose above their predominantly patriarchal societies to become controllers of a great empire. Missing from this list, however, is Sobekneferu, ancient Egypt’s first female ruler. Why was the reign of this powerful woman all but forgotten? Piecing together the lost history of the first female pharaoh, Andrew Collins presents the first comprehensive biography of Sobekneferu.

What do you think of when you hear the word witch? Through centuries of persecution, our society has been indoctrinated into thinking that witches are evil villains. Author and proud witch Danielle Dulsky debunks this interpretation and reveals the true nature of Witchcraft: an ancient spiritual path that rejects religious dogma in favor of female empowerment and a deep reverence for the Earth. In a collaborative, conversational tone, Woman Most Wild reclaims the Earth-centered power of aligning with our wildest, freest selves to create an inclusive world.

Without setting foot in an office, Buddha knew that helping people work right was essential to helping them find their path to awakening. Now more than ever, we need Buddha's guidance. Too many of us are working long hours and dealing with difficult bosses, high-maintenance coworkers, and nonstop stress. We need someone to help remind us that there is a better way. With Buddha's wisdom at the core of every chapter, Buddha's Office will help you learn how to stop taking shortcuts and pay more attention.

Like a trusted map, Healing Work orients listeners with practical strategies and insights they need to navigate healing’s successes and setbacks with wisdom and confidence. While recognizing that deep emotional pain can defy easy answers, Healing Work shows that true and total healing is possible for us, no matter how severe our wounds. With the techniques in this book, we can acquire the skills that enable us to finally let go of the pain and fear that hold us captive.

Rich Lister explores the powerful combination of the runes and traditional astrology to show you how to tune into your past, present and future. Through a unique combination of mythos and practical advice you will discover: what runic astrology is how the runes correspond with each astrological sign how to cast and interpret your runic birth chart rituals to master runic astrology

Traditionally, the Orthodox Church has appointed forty days of rest and seclusion after childbirth for mothers to recover from the rigors of birth and get to know their new babies. In the modern world, it can be difficult to understand how to use this time to the fullest in the way it was intended. The authors of A Sacred Beginning—a therapist and a pediatrician who are both mothers themselves—come to the rescue with a resource that addresses the spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of a mother's recovery from birth and embarkation on her new life.

The White Flame is for anyone who wishes to raise their vibrations on their spiritual journey to happiness, joy, contentment, health, abundance, and pure bliss. You can have these things in your life through daily healing, cleansing of old wounds and being open to limitless joy. It is for anyone who wishes to raise their vibrations on their journey to happiness, contentment, health, abundance, and pure bliss.

Father Thomas Hopko draws on the wisdom of the Orthodox Christian Church and the Holy Scriptures to help us understand same-sex attraction, with both compassion and clarity. Combining theological and pastoral insights, this small gem will aid pastors, those who experience same-sex desires, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the nature of our identity and our sexuality. This book is in reality a primer on how to overcome the passions through the traditional Christian ascetic struggle, which, of course, applies to everyone.

What makes us happy? It's not what you think. Stress is everywhere. Clever marketing has led us to believe in chasing happiness down a path that doesn't lead anywhere. There is an answer. It's not a secret. An ancient formula can help. Two thousand years ago, there was a prayer. A prayer for happiness. You can follow these 10 practices in it. The prayer has helped thousands of people. No matter where you are in life, finding purpose is easier than you think.

This book addresses the question from theological, practical, and experiential perspectives, giving individuals and families with disabilities the opportunity to voice their needs and suggest some things the rest of us can do to make them welcome in the household of God.