Religion Psychology

Bill Willits and best-selling author Andy Stanley share their successful approach, which has resulted in nearly 8,000 adults becoming involved in small groups at North Point Community Church in Atlanta . Simply put, the five principles clearly described here have passed the test. This is not just another book about community; this is a book about strategy - strategy that builds a small group culture.

Heavily tattooed and foul-mouthed, Nadia Bolz-Weber, a former stand-up comic, sure as hell didn't consider herself to be religious-leader material - until the day she ended up leading a friend's funeral in a smoky downtown comedy club. Surrounded by fellow alcoholics, depressives, and cynics, she realized: These were her people. Maybe she was meant to be their pastor. Using life stories, Nadia uses humorous narrative and poignant honesty to portray a woman who is both deeply faithful and deeply flawed, giving hope to the rest of us along the way.

In this book, Andrew Newberg explores the latest findings of neurotheology, the multidisciplinary field linking neuroscience with religious and spiritual phenomena. He investigates some of the most controversial - and potentially transformative - implications of a neurotheological approach for the truth claims of religion and our understanding of minds and brains. Newberg leads listeners on a tour through key intersections of neuroscience and theology, including the potential evolutionary basis of religion.

As a neuroscientist, Marjorie Woollacott had no doubts that the brain was a purely physical entity controlled by chemicals and electrical pulses. When she experimented with meditation for the first time, however, her entire world changed. Woollacott's journey through years of meditation has made her question the reality she built her career upon and has forced her to ask what human consciousness really is.

In Science of Ascension, Valiant Thor describes the steps involved as one ascends upward through the energy spectrum, becoming more and more of a light-being and/or sphere-being. May this work bring comfort and guidance to Thor's millions of fans and devotees around the world and also bring positive attention to both the Sphere-Being Alliance and Sphere-Being Federation.

In this inspiring book, founders of The Holistic Life Foundation Ali Smith, Atman Smith, and Andres Gonzalez describe how they have spent the past twenty years teaching yoga, meditation, and breathwork to thousands of at-risk kids in Baltimore schools helping them to develop deep reserves of patience, empathy, resolve, and—when needed—the righteous anger that fuels deep structural change. Their work has received wide national attention due to their remarkable results.

Dr. Rupert Sheldrake - best-selling author of "Morphic Resonance" - examines seven areas of spiritual practice that are personally transformative and have scientifically measurable effects. He combines his extensive knowledge of science and the natural world, as an experienced biologist, with a broad command of mystical and religious traditions to show how we can tune into more-than-human realms of consciousness.

So often when we awake we find that our dreams have either evaporated like mist or seem to be just on the edge of our memory. Many people cannot recall their dreams at all. But Dr. Doris Cohen has developed a seven-step process to let you tap into the rich repository of your subconscious. Drawing on years of clinical experience and her familiarity with Freud, myth, and sacred writings, Cohen presents a program that results in a life of abundance, texture, and self-awareness that will teach you how to unlock the secrets of your personal dream language.

In The Bible as Dream, Murray Stein shares important themes in the biblical narrative that from a psychological perspective, stand out as essential features of the meaning of the Bible for the modern listener...The Bible is a dream that tells the story of how this world was brought into being in space and time and what it means. Don't miss these timeless lectures - a work of respectful and loving interpretation.

In this compelling book, listeners will explore our many kinds of "blind spots", from the physical to the interpersonal: how we get them, how to reveal them, and how to work with our newfound awareness. Drawing upon neuroscience, meditation research, true personal accounts, and more, The Blind Spot Effect invites us into this hidden world. What unfolds is both a learning journey and a practice guide to bring our own unseen dimensions to light, learn from them, and help others along the way.

Buddhism is one of the most practical and simple belief systems on this planet and it has greatly helped me on my way to become a better person in every aspect possible. No matter if you are totally green when it comes to Buddha's teachings or if you have already heard something about them - this audiobook will help you systematize your knowledge and will inspire you to learn more and to take steps to make your life positively better!

Trauma, abuse, childhood wounds, and toxic relationships have broken us. But there is no shame in brokenness. In fact, it’s in our brokenness where the healing power of Jesus comes to find us. Brave Enough to Be Broken is a biblical road map you can use to heal from the pain, the shame, and the regrets that have tried to steal your joy, so you can rest in the unconditional love, healing, and hope of Jesus.

From renowned yogi meditation teacher and author of Do Your Om Thing Rebecca Pacheco comes Still Life, offering an in-depth exploration of mindfulness and meditation misconceptions to arm the listener with inspirational and practical tools for cultivating a consistent mindfulness practice.

The highest-ranking Soviet bloc intelligence official ever to defect to the West, Lt. Gen. Ion Mihai Pacepa is at it again. A quarter century ago, in his international bestseller Red Horizons, Pacepa exposed the massive crimes and corruption of his former boss, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu, giving the dictator a nervous breakdown and inspiring him to send assassination squads to the U.S. to find his former spy chief and kill him. They failed.

There is a famous Zen story about a disciple, Riko, who once asked his master, Nansen, to explain to him the old Zen koan of the goose in the bottle. Namely, if a man puts a gosling into a bottle and feeds the gosling through the bottle's neck until it grows and becomes a goose - and then there is simply no more room inside the bottle - how can the man get it out without killing the goose or breaking the bottle? In response, Nansen shouts, "Riko!" and gives a great clap with his hands.

Everyone dreams-both literally and metaphorically-but most people don't know that their dreams can be used for personal development. Therapist, dream expert, and founder of the Jung Society of Utah and the Jung Platform Machiel Klerk shares how, through dream incubation, you can manifest the life of your dreams just by cultivating an intimate relationship with your own dreams and taking the guidance you receive from your subconscious. If you ask the right question and keep an open mind, your dream will give you an answer.

The Desire Factor proves that desire is the force behind every act of creation. It is the mechanism through which everything in this boundless spiritual universe is made manifest into physical, tangible form. Every aspect of our human experience - from the emergence of our most heartfelt aspirations to the fulfillment of our most basic physical and biological needs - is driven by the engine of desire.

A beloved nun and social activist offers a soul-stirring guide for all who feel disillusioned and dissatisfied with the power-hungry institutions and systems of this world. In The Time Is Now, Sister Joan Chittister - a rabble-rousing force of nature for social justice and fervent proponent of personal faith and spiritual fulfillment - draws on the wisdom of prophets, both ancient and modern, to help us confront the societal forces that oppress and silence the sacred voices among us.

What are your earliest childhood memories? Were you afraid of the dark? Can you remember a particularly embarrassing moment? Those memories - along with the words and emotions you use to describe them - hold the key to understanding the person you are today! Drawing on examples from his own life, the lives of celebrities, as well as case studies from his private practice, renowned psychologist Dr. Kevin Leman helps you apply these same techniques to uncover why you are the way you are.

Well-Nourished shows how to develop a mindful relationship to food and craft a well-nourished life with step-by-step examples, tools, and mindful practices that can be individualized to your unique needs.