Ritual Religion

Nature is what gives us life—it is the source of all magic and power in the world. That is something that humans have understood since the beginning of time, and it is a constant among cultures around the world. However, the ways in which we celebrate it can vary wildly. Each of these celebrations is a ritual, a form of magic created by community and tradition. And while their differences can help us understand their various cultural identities, their similarities can create a bond that reaches across space and time.

Shiva is one of the most mysterious gods of the Hindu pantheon. His energy can be found in all things, yet his tranquil and fierce energy can seem out of reach for some. His images often depict him in a meditative state or in his most common form, the Nataraja, or the one who dances within the circular fires that represent creation and dissolution.

Prayer keeps the believer in the vicinity of Allāh (swt) through continuous remembrance and obedience. If performed with presence of the heart, the prayer educates him by instilling discipline and self-restraint, keeping him away from sins, indecency, and evil by purifying his heart with the clean and spiritual nourishment of the prayer. It is also the source of tranquility and happiness and obliterates anxieties through familiarity with the Beloved.

Prayer, or salah, in Islam is something amazing, and it's the way Muslims talk with Allah. Muslims make Salah every day, five times a day. It's a form of worship that was previously reserved only for prophets, yet during Muhammad's life, peace be upon him, Allah included any of the followers in this honorable and most distinguished group.

Leila Slimani was in her native Morocco promoting her novel Adèle, about a woman addicted to sex, when she began meeting women who confided the dark secrets of their sexual lives. In Morocco, adultery, abortion, homosexuality, prostitution, and sex outside of marriage are all punishable by law, and women have only two choices: They can be wives or virgins. Sex and Lies combines vivid, often harrowing testimonies with Slimani's passionate and intelligent commentary to make a galvanizing case for a sexual revolution in the Arab world.

Algunos nacen con estrella y otros estrellados. This dicho (saying) roughly translates to "Some are born with a star, while others are born starry." It refers to the Mexican belief that good luck is a matter of fate, something you are born with or not. Mexicans attribute their good or bad luck to a greater force, to God's will, even to the stars in the sky. Being born with a star is a blessing. While some gain their luck through fate, Laura Davila believes even more in faith, virtue, and purpose.

In this concise series of lectures, famed Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda answers the important question: How can Vedanta be made practical in our daily lives? Though intended for Western audiences, Vivekananda's idea of sacralizing every moment has transformed the lives of generations of spiritual seekers.

This book brings together 99 meditations to better understand the stories, symbols and rituals of that adorable elephant-headed Hindu god who removes hurdles and brings prosperity and peace. Known variously as Ganapati, Gajanana, Vinayaka or Pillayar, he can help all of us score a century in the game called life.

Written by a yoga instructor educated at Yoga Vidya Gurukul in Trimbakeshwar, India, this quick guide focuses on the meaning of and purposes of yogic meditation according to yoga masters. This audiobook seeks to show how the concept of “meditation” has evolved ever since it was documented in Patanjali’s sutras approximately 2,500 years ago. It also explores the purposes and objectives of yogic meditation and how they relate to the overall practice and goals of an aspiring learner.

Empower your intuition, dive into your dreams, and get to the heart of the matter with this fantastic guide to creating a marvelous, magical tarot practice. Best-selling author and tarot expert Sasha Graham shows you how to bring tarot into daily life with easy-to-use exercises, spreads, and prompts.

What are we doing when we gather around the sacraments - or when we make the same breakfast every morning? Embodying rituals, says Dru Johnson. And until we understand what we’re doing and why, we won’t know how these rituals work, what they mean, or how we might adapt them...As he unpacks how rituals pervade every area of our lives, Johnson suggests biblical ways to focus our use of rituals, habits, and sacraments so that we can see the world more truly through them.

There was a time when the feminine and her guiding light, the Moon, were all-powerful. Men were seen primarily as consorts to the Great Goddess, as embodied in every woman. In these peaceful, agrarian societies, primal feminine powers—intuition, emotion, sexuality, creation, communion with nature—were honored. And the moon, which waxed and waned in predictable cycles, was a symbol for the birth, growth, death, and renewal of life on Earth. Moon Power’s 12 chapters each represent a moon sign.

Do you want to know the status of women in Islam? Do you think Islam discriminates among men and women? Do you want to know the rights of the women that Islam gives them? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this audiobook is for you. 50 Things to Know About Women in Islam by Farah Khan offers an approach to look into the Islamic perspective of women.

Neem Karoli Baba—known to his followers as Maharaj-ji—was a great Hindu guru, mystic, and devotee of Lord Hanuman. He is very well known outside India for being the spiritual master of a number of prominent Americans who traveled to India in the 1960s and '70s, including spiritual teachers Ram Dass, Bhagavan Das, and musicians Krishna Das and Jai Uttal. His ashrams are in Kainchi, Vrindavan, Rishikesh, Shimla, Neem Karoli village near Khimasepur in Farrukhabad, Bhumiadhar, Hanumangarhi, Delhi in India, and in Taos, New Mexico.

There are historical and biographical books about the life of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم. As an alternative format, it is also important to learn the life of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم through his statements, narrations, and sayings. This book has some of the selected sayings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم in a unique format, especially including our present-day topics.

Discover the ancient secrets of lunar power with Moon Magic: A Guide to Lunar Alchemy, Rituals, and Manifestation. This comprehensive guide takes you on a journey to harness the moon's mystical energies and integrate them into your daily spiritual practice. Ideal for both beginners and advanced practitioners, this book reveals how to work with the moon's phases to manifest desires and achieve personal growth.

Lughnasadh - also known as Lammas - is the beginning of the harvest season, marking the point where the first fruit of the land has ripened. This guide to Lughnasadh tells listeners how to perform rituals and work magic around the gratitude we feel for plans that have come to fruition, while also exploring themes of fertility, protection, and reflection.

We can always create a life that is entwined with the natural world. A homestead is not a log cabin or a hermitage out in the woods—it is a way of being, a life lived with the intention of returning to our roots and tapping into the essential elements of fire, water, air, and earth. And a homesteading witch isn't just a person who lives atop a beautiful mountain, but anyone who understands that by harnessing and honoring these elements you can create whatever it is that you need. The Witchy Homestead is your guide to finding, creating, and living this essential magic.

Islam is a religion, a culture, and a political system. The political system has its own body of laws, called the Sharia, which is derived from the Koran, the Sira (Mohammed’s biography) and the Hadith (Mohammed’s traditions). The Sharia is Allah’s law and is considered superior to all other man-made laws. Many Sharia laws concern non-Muslims and how they are to be treated. Every demand that Muslims make is based on the idea of implementing Sharia law in our countries.

Ostara - also known as the Spring Equinox - is a time of renewal, a time to plant seeds as the earth once again comes to life. This guide to the history and modern celebrations of Ostara shows you how to perform rituals and work magic to renew your power and passion for living and growing.