Books with category 🧘 Spirituality
Displaying books 1-48 of 65 in total

Concerning The Future Of Souls

2024

by Joy Williams

Concerning The Future Of Souls by Joy Williams is a profound exploration of mortality through the eyes of Azrael, the Angel of Death. Williams, a renowned master of the short story form, presents a collection of ninety-nine narratives that delve into the enigmatic fate of the soul.

In this compelling work, readers will encounter a tapestry of connected yet disparate beings - from ordinary individuals to extraordinary figures like Jung, Nietzsche, Pythagoras, Bach, and Rilke. The natural world is also represented, with mountains, oceans, and various creatures, including a chimp named Washoe, each experiencing their own unique journey towards the unknown.

Williams weaves a rich philosophical and cultural narrative that is both an absolution and an indictment, leaving readers in a state of wonder and contemplation. Concerning The Future Of Souls is an invitation to ponder the morality of our mortal existence in an era marked by extinction.

On Giving Up

2024

by Adam Phillips

A new book from the acclaimed psychoanalytic writer Adam Phillips on giving up to feel more alive. To give up or not to give up? The question can feel inescapable but the answer is never simple. Giving up our supposed vices is one thing; giving up on life itself is quite another. One form of self-sacrifice feels positive, something to admire and aspire to, while the other is profoundly unsettling, if not actively undesirable.

There are always, it turns out, both good and bad sacrifices, but it is not always clear beforehand which is which. We give something up because we believe we can no longer go on as we are. In this sense, giving up is a critical moment—an attempt to make a different future. In On Giving Up, the acclaimed psychoanalyst Adam Phillips illuminates both the gaps and the connections between the many ways of giving up and helps us to address the central question: What must we give up in order to feel more alive?

Reading Genesis

Marilynne Robinson, one of our greatest novelists and thinkers, presents a radiant, thrilling interpretation of the book of Genesis.

For generations, the book of Genesis has been treated by scholars as a collection of documents, by various hands, expressing different factional interests, with borrowings from other ancient literatures that mark the text as derivative. In other words, academic interpretation of Genesis has centered on the question of its basic coherency, just as fundamentalist interpretation has centered on the question of the appropriateness of reading it as literally true.

Both of these approaches preclude an appreciation of its greatness as literature, its rich articulation and exploration of themes that resonate through the whole of Scripture. Reading Genesis, which includes the original text, is a powerful consideration of the profound meanings and promise of God's enduring covenant with humanity. This magisterial book radiates gratitude for the constancy and benevolence of God's abiding faith in Creation.

Ours

Ours: A Novel by Phillip B. Williams is a beautifully-written and ambitious epic about the complexity of freedom, set in mid-nineteenth-century America. This ingenious, sweeping novel introduces us to an enigmatic woman named Saint, a fearsome conjuror who, in the 1830s, annihilates plantations all over Arkansas to rescue the people enslaved there.

She brings those she has freed to a haven of her own creation: a town just north of St. Louis, magically concealed from outsiders, named Ours. It is in this miraculous place that Saint’s grand experiment—a truly secluded community where her people may flourish—takes root. But although Saint does her best to protect the inhabitants of Ours, over time, her conjuring and memories begin to betray her, leaving the town vulnerable to intrusions by newcomers with powers of their own.

As the cracks in Saint’s creation are exposed, some begin to wonder whether the community’s safety might be yet another form of bondage. Set over the course of four decades and steeped in a rich tradition of American literature informed by Black surrealism, mythology, and spirituality, Ours is a stunning exploration of the possibilities and limitations of love and freedom by a writer of capacious vision and talent.

Let Us Descend

2023

by Jesmyn Ward

From Jesmyn Ward—the two-time National Book Award winner, youngest winner of the Library of Congress Prize for Fiction, and MacArthur Fellow—comes a haunting masterpiece, sure to be an instant classic, about an enslaved girl in the years before the Civil War.

“‘Let us descend,’ the poet now began, ‘and enter this blind world.’” — Inferno, Dante Alighieri

Let Us Descend is a reimagining of American slavery, as beautifully rendered as it is heart-wrenching. Searching, harrowing, replete with transcendent love, the novel is a journey from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the slave markets of New Orleans and into the fearsome heart of a Louisiana sugar plantation.

Annis, sold south by the white enslaver who fathered her, is the reader’s guide through this hellscape. As she struggles through the miles-long march, Annis turns inward, seeking comfort from memories of her mother and stories of her African warrior grandmother. Throughout, she opens herself to a world beyond this world, one teeming with of earth and water, of myth and history; spirits who nurture and give, and those who manipulate and take. While Ward leads readers through the descent, this, her fourth novel, is ultimately a story of rebirth and reclamation.

From one of the most singularly brilliant and beloved writers of her generation, this miracle of a novel inscribes Black American grief and joy into the very land—the rich but unforgiving forests, swamps, and rivers of the American South. Let Us Descend is Jesmyn Ward’s most magnificent novel yet, a masterwork for the ages.

Slow Brewing Tea

2020

by Randy Loubier

Slow Brewing Tea is an epic spiritual adventure and a touching love story that will compel you to look deeper at your relationships with your God, your spouse, and the path beneath your feet.

Isaiah set off on a ten day motorcycle adventure in northern, rural Japan. His quest, at the age of twenty, was to photograph the quiet mysterious culture, meet a beautiful Japanese woman, and find The Tao (the way). He took great photographs, fell in love with an extraordinary Japanese woman, and found an old man willing to teach him the way, the truth, and the narrow gate. Over the next forty years, Isaiah finds a path of unconditional love and faith through lessons of pain and redemption, loss and victory. Be transformed by a journey into traditional Japan, a mystical land of tea ceremonies, Japanese gardens, rich culture, and unexpected spiritual revelations.

Theory of People: Understanding Behaviors, Business, Economics, Feelings, and the Mind

2020

by Jakub Lasak

Einstein’s Theory of Relativity allows us to understand the universe on a macro scale and the relationships between space, time, and gravity. The Theory of People allows us to understand people’s psychology and the relationships between aspects such as behaviors, feelings, business, and learning.

• Control your behaviors, such as anger, laziness, and 20 other ones.
• Manage your feelings to become happier and overcome stress, shyness, and 15 other ones.
• Create a successful business by understanding what the perfect solution looks like and what makes people buy.
• Become a visionary, just like Steve Jobs, by learning his motives.
• Learn faster and improve your memory by discovering how our minds decide what information to save.
• Increase your intelligence, creativity, and wisdom by learning what they are.
• Understand what makes one country or person wealthier than other thanks to the golden law of economy.

A Unique Book
• Quick Read: Theory of People explains people on 2 pages. 70 pages are real-life applications. You would need to read tens of other books to get the same solutions.
• Easy to Apply in Life: You do not need a scientific background or have to work hard to understand complicated subjects. It presents knowledge in a simple way.
• Money-Back Guarantee: If you are unsatisfied, you can apply for a refund via Amazon within seven days of purchase. No questions asked.

If you want to understand yourself and other people and apply that knowledge to real-life, buy the Theory of People now.

The Holy Bible: New American Standard Version, NASB

2020

by Anonymous

The New American Standard Version of the Holy Bible.

The Ultimate Religion

2019

by Gillian Dance

Megan grew up in care and suffered all kinds of abuse, then struggled in adulthood to build a normal life. Hampered by her differences and lack of identity, Megan was lured into the embrace of a fundamentalist Christian group.

Attracted to the church because of her desire to know God and the warmth and inclusivity of the members, their promise of answers and healing, backed up by their deeper than usual knowledge of the bible, Megan experienced genuine miracles and love. But alongside the religious fanaticism came the cunning, gradual introduction of social control, flagrant sexism and violence.

An engrossing read, inspired by real-life events, investigating topics such as abuse, terminal illness, sexuality and gender roles in relation to faith. A story of the making and breaking of convictions and loyalties and the quest for actual truth. Quoting biblical scriptures to illuminate the characters’ mindsets, this book will resonate powerfully with those who have experience of such 'churches' or who wish to understand the mentality of people who lead and join such organisations.

Dancing with The Field: Bringing Joy, Passion and Play into Everyday Life

2019

by Kris Kelkar

Have you found that your life is stuck in a rut? Do you want to experience more joy, passion and play in your everyday life? You can, with the help of this book!

For millions of people the world over, life can be an unending repetition of drudgery that shows no sign of ever ceasing. It can happen anywhere and to anyone, if you are caught in a cycle where you simply exist, react to life and never really feel life’s amazing vibrancy.

In Dancing with The Field: Bringing Joy, Passion and Play into Everyday Life, a new concept is explored around the conscious field that responds to us as we interact with it, with chapters that examine:

  • The relational field
  • Creating with this field
  • Seeing our bodies as doorways to the field
  • The field in relationships

And much more…

Through practical spirituality and firm underpinnings in science and personal experience, Dancing with The Field introduces a framework for life to help people recognize when they are in a state of connection and play with this field and when they are not.

If you are on a spiritual path and feel like you need some additional guidance to bring more joy into your life, then this is the book you simply must read now!

Finding Hope in the Darkness of Grief: Spiritual Insights Expressed Through Art, Poetry and Prose

Written to honor Diamante's children in Heaven, Finding Hope in the Darkness of Grief is a gleaning of insights from artist Diamante Lavendar. For her, life has been a long, difficult road, but it has taught many poignant lessons. Her poetry collection is an exploration of the human soul, a traversing of situations that life throws at us.

Diamante has always been intrigued by the ability to overcome and move on to bigger and better things. She writes to encourage hope and possibility in those who read her stories. If she can help others heal, as she has, then Diamante’s work as an author and artist will have been well spent. She believes that everyone should try to leave a positive mark on the world, to make it a better place for all. Writing is the way that she is attempting to leave her mark—one story at a time.

Jesus the Christ

First published in 1915, Jesus the Christ is the classic Latter-day Saint presentation of the life and ministry of the Savior. Elder Marion G. Romney said, "One who gets the understanding, the vision, and the spirit of the resurrected Lord through a careful study of the text Jesus the Christ by Elder James E. Talmage will find that he has greatly increased his moving faith in our glorified Redeemer." This special edition has been completely retypeset for added readability, and for the first time the chapter endnotes have been included with the footnotes for ready reference.

الصوت روح

2014

by Huda Aweys

في مجال المسرح و الشعر، و في المجال الأدبي عموما، معروف أن هناك أدبا يتم تطويع المواضيع و الأفكار له، و أدبا يتم تطويعه و استخدامه لعرض الأفكار و المواضيع من خلاله.

في المسرح مثلا، لدينا تجارب لتوفيق الحكيم و دكتور مصطفى محمود من مسرحيات هي فنيا قد تكون غير صالحة باعتراف أصحابها ذاتهم، لكنها على مستوى عرض الموضوع و الفكرة ناجحة طبعا. كذلك في الشعر، هناك أشعار يتم تطويع المواضيع و الأفكار لها، و هناك أشعار يتم تطويعها و استخدامها لعرض الأفكار و المواضيع و الأحداث، الشيء الذي يجعل الجانب الفني فيها مجورا عليه.

ديوان (دول العرب و عظماء الإسلام) لأمير الشعراء أحمد شوقي مثلا هو واحد من هذه الأدبيات التي جار صاحبها على الجانب الفني فيها، لصالح المواضيع و الأفكار التي طرحها من خلال أشعاره. و ليس ذاك لمشكلة ما أو نقص في حس الشاعر أو موهبته، و إنما ذاك لثقل و تعقيد وكثافة التجربة التي مر بها الشاعر و التي أبت عليه شعريا كفكرة مجملة، و هو أحوج ما يكون إلى التعبير عنها مجملا مما دفع به إلى ذلك الأسلوب، لا ابتذالا أو تهاونا، و لكن رغبة منه في أن يهتف بها جملة واحدة بشكل مباشر و صريح للتنفيس و لمشاركة الناس بها.

كذلك أعترف بأنني قد جرت على الجانب الفني في الجزء الأول من الكتاب (الأصوات) لصالح الموضوع و الحدث، و لكنه ليس جور لا يغتفر، فـ (الأصوات) هي أشعار غنائية على أي حال أي أن مباشرتها مغفورة! هي أيضا أشعار تُسمع لا تُقرأ، تُسمع مغناة :)، و هو ما دفعني لوسمها بـ (أصوات) منذ البداية.

عموما فـ (الصوت روح) هو كارت تعارف ما بيني و بين القراء ليس إلا، و لا أعده تجربة جدية في الكتابة على أية حال.

هدى عويس، الكاتبة مطربة موسيقى عربية في الأساس، قررت أن تستقل و تغني أغانيها الخاصة و أن تخرج من عباءة الغناء النمطي و الكلمات النمطية للغناء العربي عن الهيام و الهجران و اللوعة و ما إلى ذلك. و بعدما أرهقها البحث عن الكلمات المناسبة التي تستطيع من خلالها خدمة رسالتها و أفكارها و كل ما هي مؤمنة به، قررت أن توفر أجرة شاعر! و أن تقدم بصوتها بروحها لكل ذلك. لم لا؟ و هي تملك الموهبة اللازمة للقيام بذلك، فقد كان لها العديد من المحاولات الأدبية في سنوات نشأتها الأولى، انقطعت بعدها لفترة طويلة (جدا) عن الكتابة لأسباب قهرية، إلا أنها الآن تحاول نفض الغبار عن موهبتها تلك و تجديدها ما دامت الحاجة تدعو إلى ذلك.

لقد وفقت في تأليف أشعار الكتاب كلها في حوالي أسبوعين من أواخر أبريل و أول مايو 2014، عدا (يحيا الإرهاب) و (ضلع أعوج).

هي أيضا تؤمن بأن (الصوت روح)، و هذا ما عبرت عنه و حاولت إيصاله إلى القارئ من خلال صفحات الكتاب.

بداية استعانت الكاتبة برمزية (مأذنة المسجد) في صورة الغلاف للتعبير عن رسالتها الروحية و الفكرية. الكتاب يعرض لثنائية ضدية ما بين الحسي و الروحي (الصوت و الروح) و يطرحها من منظور جديد يجعل منها تكاملية بشكل ما، و ذلك من خلال مقدمة مبسطة في بداية الكتاب. بعدها تستخدم الكاتبة بعض الأشعار العامية و التي دورها في المقام الأول يحدد كـ (موديل) إن صح التعبير لتوضيح نظريتها أو للتدليل عليها. و إن كانت الأشعار هذه قيمتها و دورها لا يتعدى (كونها موديل) لطرح فكرة الكاتبة، إلا أنه يشفع لها في النهاية أنها كتبتهم بإخلاص حقيقي لهذه القضايا و (الأصوات) التي عرضت لهم من خلالها.

بعدها تقدم الكاتبة لـ (صوتها) كأي كاتب آخر! (فأي كاتب من وجهة نظرها يعرض صوته و وجهة نظره الذاتية من خلال كتاباته و دراساته و أشعاره، مهما ادعى الموضوعية). من خلال خواطر روحانية عن الوجود و الكون و الدين مشوبة ببعض الرؤى الفلسفية، تتحدى من خلالها النظرة المادية لتلك القضايا و التي استفحلت في مجتمعاتنا خلال الفترة الأخيرة. في الختام، بعض المحاولات الشعرية التي كتب أغلبها في ربيع 2014 و التي تستمر الكاتبة من خلالها في عرض (صوتها) و رؤاها الروحانية و الفلسفية و الحياتية أيضا و لكن بنظم شعري.

الكاتبة أشارت في البداية لـ (معجم) بالكلمات العامية المصرية في الكتاب، و بالنسبة لها كانت فكرة موفقة على المستوى الشخصي على الأقل لأنها تعتقد في قدرة اللغات السامية على الاستمرار و العربية هنا بالأخص لكونها لغة القرآن الكريم. فعلى المحور المكاني في الوقت الحاضر و على المحور الزماني مستقبلا لمواجهة تطويع اللغة لمقتضيات عصرها و ما يستتبع ذلك من اختلاف اللهجات على المستوى المكاني في نفس العصر أو على المستوى الزماني على نفس المكان، وجدت أهمية من هذا المنطلق لوضع معجم لترجمة اللغة العامية المصرية على أساس محور ثابت ألا و هو (اللغة العربية الأم). إذن فاستخدامها للعامية لم يكن دعوة، أو مشاركة منها في دعوة إلى استخدام العامية عوضا عن العربية الفصحى، و إنما تعاملا مع واقع.

إلا أنها لم توفق في المراجعة اللغوية و فشلت في تحقيق هدفها هذا بسبب استعجالها على تقديم نفسها للقراء ككاتبة و لقلقها من وصول خبر الكتاب للسلطات قبل تسجيله و توثيقه بدار الكتب، ما جعلها تغفل عن هذه النقطة المهمة، نقطة (مراجعة كتابها لغويا). و إن كانت تستغرب من انتقد عدم مراجعة (الأشعار العامية) في الكتاب (لغويا)! فإن كان من المفهوم ضرورة مراجعة العربية الفصحى لغويا، فمن غير المفهوم أو حتى المقبول ادعاء (نموذج) معين للعامية أو القول بأن لها قواعد لغوية و أصول!

عن تلك الجزئية خصوصا علقت الكاتبة بأن من عاب عليها بمثل هذا القول خصوصا، هو إما مدعي سفيه أو جاهل لا ريب! و عن استخدامها للغة العامية من أساسه فقد أرجعته لمحاولة منها لاجتذاب فئة معينة من الشباب يهمها أن تصل رسالتها إليهم لأنها الفئة الأكثر استهدافا من قبل المنظمات العلمانية و أصحاب المذاهب المادية. هي فئة يجتذبها هذا اللون من الأدب العامي على حد علمها سواء مقالة أو أشعار.

أيضا عن تأثرها بأسلوب الأستاذ و الدكتور (مصطفى محمود) رحمه الله فهي لم تنكره، بل على العكس فقد اعتبرت هذا التأثر الواضح بالأسلوب المنهجي و الأدبي لـ (أستاذها) على حد وصفها مدعاة لفخرها.

افتتاحية الكتاب: مأذنة المسجد كانت أهم وسيلة إعلام في مجتمعنا الإسلامي على مر العصور. لذا حينما قررت أن أخرج إلى النور أول كتبي (الصوت روح) و الذي عبرت فيه عن جزء مهم من رسالتي، تلك الكلمة التي خلقت من أجلها، أو خلقت لأكونها، لم أجد أفضل من مأذنة المسجد كوسيلة إعلام أدشن من عليها و أنادي بـ رسالتي تلك. و كان لي الشرف أن أعتلي في سبيل ذلك مأذنة الأزهر الشريف و التي تعد من أهم منابرنا على الإطلاق. و قد يسر الله لي الأمر بعد دعاء و تسليم، و ها أنا ذا، و ها هو كتابي اليوم بين أيديكم فـ بسم الله.

Letters From Your Soul

2014

by Victor Noble

Like dewdrops from a silent night, writings in Letters from Your Soul are distinctly brilliant, and resonate with our sense of beauty and wonder. They contain the condensed wisdom of years of soul-searching before Victor’s awakening, and years of compassionate attempts since, by him, to remind others of their own journey towards self-realisation. The messages are relevant to anyone who has ever pondered about existence and the possibilities of improving this life-experience, the only thing that truly belongs to us.

The style of writing interweaves between storytelling, conversation and prose-poetry. The uniqueness of these expressions of timeless truths lies in the fact that throughout his spiritual search, and the years following his awakening, Victor continues to remain in the chaos of an average urban life. And, for this reason, his messages act as a perfect bridge between the unworldly and worldly quests of human mind, giving immense hope to finding a life full of freedom, joy and love by remaining exactly where we are.

Your journey didn't begin when you were born, or, even when you thought you have arrived; Your journey begins, when you stop, and look for new eyes, to see you. Your journey didn't begin, when you fulfilled your dreams; Your journey begins, when you reject dreams that you bought in your sleep. Your journey didn't begin, when you were told that you have made it; Your journey begins when you reject the notion 'what you have become, is the best you can be'. Your journey awaits for a path never travelled before. Start making your path from here; and start walking towards a new 'you' now. Beauty, Wonder, and Faith; you will find them all, on your way.

Readings in the Letters from Your Soul are filled with sparks to ignite a flame of self-renewal, but, the readiness to burn, and be new, needs to come from within you.

A Tale for the Time Being

2013

by Ruth Ozeki

In Tokyo, sixteen-year-old Nao has decided there’s only one escape from her aching loneliness and her classmates’ bullying. But before she ends it all, Nao first plans to document the life of her great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun who’s lived more than a century. A diary is Nao’s only solace—and will touch lives in ways she can scarcely imagine.

Across the Pacific, we meet Ruth, a novelist living on a remote island who discovers a collection of artifacts washed ashore in a Hello Kitty lunchbox—possibly debris from the devastating 2011 tsunami. As the mystery of its contents unfolds, Ruth is pulled into the past, into Nao’s drama and her unknown fate, and forward into her own future.

Full of Ozeki’s signature humor and deeply engaged with the relationship between writer and reader, past and present, fact and fiction, quantum physics, history, and myth, A Tale for the Time Being is a brilliantly inventive, beguiling story of our shared humanity and the search for home.

Eat, Pray, Love

Eat, Pray, Love is the captivating memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert that chronicles her journey of self-discovery following a devastating divorce. Feeling lost and uncertain about the future, Gilbert makes a bold decision to step away from her life in America and embark on a year-long trip around the world.

In Italy, she indulges in the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and delighting in the country's culinary offerings. Her experience is not just about savoring good food and wine, but also about embracing joy and giving herself permission to feel good again.

India offers a stark contrast, where Gilbert dives deep into the art of devotion. It is here, in an ashram, that she commits to exploring her spiritual side, seeking peace and a sense of connection that had long eluded her.

The final leg of her journey takes her to Bali, Indonesia, where she seeks balance between the material and the spiritual. Under the guidance of an elderly medicine man and through an unexpected romance, Gilbert finds a harmony she had been missing.

An honest and transformative narrative, Eat, Pray, Love is a testament to the healing power of travel and the courage it takes to confront one's own truths. It's a story of embracing change, pursuing happiness, and discovering a life worth living on one's own terms.

The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?

2012

by Rick Warren

Discover and fulfill your God-given purpose by joining the more than thirty-five million others who have embarked on a spiritual journey that started with this #1 New York Times bestselling book by Pastor Rick Warren. Before you were born, God knew what your life had in store for you. His hope for you is to discover the life he created just for you--both here on earth, and forever in eternity. Let Rick Warren guide you as you learn to live out your true purpose.

The Purpose Driven Life is more than a book; it's a road map for your spiritual journey. Combining thoughtful verses from Scripture with timely stories and perspectives from Warren's own life, The Purpose Driven Life will help you discover the answer to one of life's most important questions: What on earth am I here for? Throughout The Purpose Driven Life, Warren will teach you to spend time getting to know yourself and your creator in order to live your life to the fullest. Unlocking your true purpose will also reduce your stress, simplify your decisions, increase your satisfaction, and, most importantly, prepare you for eternity.

Designed to be read over the course of forty-two days, The Purpose Driven Life will help you see the big picture, giving you a fresh perspective on the way that the pieces of your life fit together. Every chapter of The Purpose Driven Life provides a daily meditation and practical steps to help you uncover and live out your purpose, starting with exploring three essential questions: The Question of Existence: Why am I alive? The Question of Significance: Does my life matter? The Question of Purpose: What on earth am I here for? Each copy of The Purpose Driven Life also includes thoughtful discussion questions, audio Bible studies that go along with every chapter, and access to a supportive online community, giving you the opportunity to dive even deeper into each life-changing lesson.

Om Chanting and Meditation

2010

by Amit Ray

The book provides some powerful Om chanting and meditation techniques to bring balance, health, and harmony in life. In Eastern religions, Om (AUM) is considered as the most sacred mantra. Om is the mantra of integration; integration of individual with the Whole. Om is the mantra of harmony and celebration. Om is the mantra to access the Supreme Divinity residing within us.

In this book, Amit Ray describes several Om chanting and Om meditation methods in detail in a lucid and plain English. Om chanting and meditations have healing effects on the body and the mind. This book is a step-by-step guide to practice meditations with the Om. As you practice, a long-lasting sense of well-being manifests in your life. You will notice a sense of joyfulness entering your life along with an ability to appreciate the many gifts that surround you. This book will help both the beginners as well as the advanced practitioners.

Brida

2009

by Paulo Coelho

Brida is the spellbinding tale of a beautiful young Irish woman, and her quest for knowledge. On her journey, she meets a wise man who teaches her about overcoming her fears, and a woman who teaches her ancient rituals. They see in her a gift, but must let Brida make her own voyage of discovery.

This enthralling novel incorporates themes that fans of Paulo Coelho will recognize and treasure—it is a tale of love, passion, mystery, and spirituality from the master storyteller.

The Witch of Portobello

2009

by Paulo Coelho

How do we find the courage to always be true to ourselves—even if we are unsure of who we are? That is the central question of international bestselling author Paulo Coelho's profound new work, The Witch of Portobello. It is the story of a mysterious woman named Athena, told by the many who knew her well—or hardly at all.

Like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy, and sacrifice.

The Shack

The Shack is a cherished novel by William Paul Young that has touched lives worldwide. The story revolves around Mackenzie Allen Phillips, whose youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation. Evidence suggests she might have been brutally murdered in an abandoned shack in the Oregon wilderness.

Four years later, Mack is immersed in his Great Sadness when he receives a mysterious note, seemingly from God, inviting him to the shack. Despite his doubts, Mack returns to the scene of his worst nightmare on a cold, wintry afternoon. The encounter that awaits him has the potential to change his life forever.

Set against the backdrop of a world riddled with pain and questioning the relevance of religion, The Shack addresses the age-old dilemma: Where is God in a world filled with unspeakable suffering? Join Mack as he uncovers the astonishing truths that have captivated and transformed millions of readers.

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

2007

by Donald Miller

"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." ―Donald Miller

In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.

For anyone wondering if the Christian faith is still relevant in a postmodern culture.
For anyone thirsting for a genuine encounter with a God who is real.
For anyone yearning for a renewed sense of passion in life.

Blue Like Jazz is a fresh and original perspective on life, love, and redemption.

Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust

Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994, her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.

Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them. It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love—a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family’s killers.

The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman’s journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss.

The Case for Christ

2007

by Lee Strobel

Using the dramatic scenario of an investigative journalist pursuing his story and leads, Lee Strobel uses his experience as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune to interview experts about the evidence for Christ from the fields of science, philosophy, and history.

Retracing his own spiritual journey from atheism to faith, Lee Strobel, former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune, cross-examines a dozen experts with doctorates from schools like Cambridge, Princeton, and Brandeis who are recognized authorities in their own fields. Strobel challenges them with questions like, How reliable is the New Testament? Does evidence for Jesus exist outside the Bible? Is there any reason to believe the resurrection was an actual event?

But it's not fiction. It's a riveting quest for the truth about history's most compelling figure. The new edition includes scores of revisions and additions, including updated material on archaeological and manuscript discoveries, fresh recommendations for further study, and an interview with the author that tells dramatic stories about the book's impact, provides behind-the-scenes information, and responds to critiques of the book by skeptics.

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

For the twelve million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide (six million in the United States), The Book of Mormon is literally the word of God, a companion volume to the Bible that contains the everlasting gospel. Doubleday is proud to publish this official trade edition of The Book of Mormon by special arrangement with the Church.

According to Mormon belief, The Book of Mormon was inscribed on golden plates by generations of prophets, quoted and abridged by the prophet-historian Mormon, and buried in the ground by Mormon's son, Moroni. Fourteen centuries later, in 1823, the angel Moroni led Joseph Smith to the plates hidden in a hillside in upstate New York. Smith translated the ancient language into English through divine revelation. The Book of Mormon narrates the historical, religious, political, and military events that shaped and continue to inform the Church's teachings. The publication of this edition offers the opportunity to explore one of the largest denominations in America today.

The Death of Ivan Ilych

2006

by Leo Tolstoy

The Death of Ivan Ilyich has been classified as the best example of a novella ever written. Leo Tolstoy remains one of the greatest writers to put pen to paper, revolutionizing the form of the novel, the short story, and with Ivan Ilyich, the novella.

The story revolves around the titular Ivan Ilyich Golovin, who has discovered that he will die. Ivan is a well-liked official, but he has spent his life pursuing his career, eschewing his domestic life. Forced to confront his mortality, Ivan has the time to consider his life and discovers he has fled from an authentic life. Ivan has turned away from his wife, his daughter, and his son, and the lack of any real connection with them only exacerbates the pain of his impending demise.

Only through conversation with the simple peasant boy Geresim does Ivan find some solace, and that realization allows him to find a new joy in his last moments. Tolstoy wrote Ivan Ilyich late in his career, well after his major novels Anna Karenina and War and Peace. His religious and philosophical convictions shine through in this work, showing how Tolstoy has developed a deep understanding of the meaning of life itself.

Although the subject of the novella may be macabre, the story gives hope for a better life for us all.

The Mermaid Chair

2006

by Sue Monk Kidd

A transcendent tale of a woman's self-discovery—the New York Times–bestselling second work of fiction by the author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Book of Longings. Inside the church of a Benedictine monastery on Egret Island, just off the coast of South Carolina, resides a beautiful and mysterious chair ornately carved with mermaids and dedicated to a saint who, legend claims, was a mermaid before her conversion.

When Jessie Sullivan is summoned home to the island to cope with her eccentric mother’s seemingly inexplicable behavior, she is living a conventional life with her husband, Hugh, a life “molded to the smallest space possible.” Jessie loves Hugh, but once on the island, she finds herself drawn to Brother Thomas, a monk about to take his final vows. Amid a rich community of unforgettable island women and the exotic beauty of marshlands, tidal creeks, and majestic egrets, Jessie grapples with the tension of desire and the struggle to deny it, with a freedom that feels overwhelmingly right, and with the immutable force of home and marriage.

Is the power of the mermaid chair only a myth? Or will it alter the course of Jessie’s life? What happens will unlock the roots of her mother’s tormented past, but most of all, it will allow Jessie to discover selfhood and a place of belonging as she explores the thin line between the spiritual and the erotic.

Holy Bible: The New King James Version

2006

by Anonymous

Enhance your time reading and exploring God's Word. Experience a whole new level of visual comfort and biblical study with Thomas Nelson's NKJV Personal Size Giant Print End-of-Verse Reference Bible. This Bible is filled with references and study aids to strengthen your Bible reading. Plus, it features giant print type, making reading more enjoyable than ever. Ideal for individual study, teaching, and ministry work, this trusted edition of the Holy Bible will enhance your time exploring the beauty and meaning of God's Word.

Features include:

  • End-of-verse references and translation notes
  • Family record section
  • Bible book introductions
  • Stars marking messianic prophecies
  • Words of Jesus in red
  • Concordance
  • Full-color maps
  • 2 ribbon markers
  • Type size: 11

Part of the CLASSIC SERIES line of Thomas Nelson Bibles

Personal Size Giant Print End-of-Verse Reference Bibles sold to date: More than 3.5 million

The New King James Version - More than 60 million copies sold in 30 years

Thomas Nelson Bibles is giving back through the God's Word in Action program. Donating a portion of profits to World Vision, we are helping to eradicate poverty and preventable deaths among children. Learn more and discover what you can do at www.seegodswordinaction.com.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

2006

by Richard Bach

Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a story for those who follow their hearts and make their own rules...people who derive special pleasure from doing something well, even if only for themselves...people who understand there's more to this living than meets the eye. They'll be right there with Jonathan, soaring higher and faster than they ever dreamed.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull is no ordinary bird. He believes it is every gull's right to fly, to reach the ultimate freedom of challenge and discovery, finding his greatest reward in teaching younger gulls the joy of flight and the power of dreams.

The special 20th anniversary release of this spiritual classic!

Gilead

The 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and a New York Times Top-Ten Book of 2004, Gilead is an intimate tale of three generations, from the Civil War to the 20th century. This story about fathers and sons, and the spiritual battles that still rage at America's heart, returns Marilynne Robinson nearly 25 years after Housekeeping. The novel, described as "as big as a nation, as quiet as thought, and moving as prayer," is matchless and towering, telling the story of America in a way that will break your heart.

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

2005

by Eckhart Tolle

The highly anticipated follow-up to the 2,000,000 copy bestselling inspirational book, The Power of Now, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. Eckhart Tolle describes how our attachment to the ego creates the dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness, and shows readers how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence.

The Power of Now was a question-and-answer handbook. A New Earth has been written as a traditional narrative, offering anecdotes and philosophies in a way that is accessible to all. Illuminating, enlightening, and uplifting, A New Earth is a profoundly spiritual manifesto for a better way of life—and for building a better world.

Maktub

2004

by Paulo Coelho

Maktub não é um livro de conselhos, mas uma troca de experiências. A maior parte dos textos se refere a ensinamentos que Paulo Coelho recebeu de seu mestre ao longo de 11 anos. Outros são relatos de amigos ou pessoas desconhecidas que de uma forma ou de outra lhe deixaram uma mensagem inesquecível. Finalmente, existem trechos de livros que ele leu e de histórias que pertencem à herança espiritual da raça humana.

A proposta do autor é reunir um apanhado da sabedoria universal destacando um ponto comum a todas as histórias: a busca da felicidade. Embora o desejo de ser feliz seja relatado em contextos tão diversos, fica fácil concluir que, não importa o lugar ou a época, ele sempre se baseia nos mesmos pilares: amor, humildade, solidariedade e renúncia.

Maktub oferece aos leitores uma oportunidade de refletir e se reencontrar. "Se você está percorrendo o caminho de seus sonhos, comprometa-se com ele. Não deixe a porta de saída aberta através da 'Ainda não é bem isto que eu queria.' Assuma o seu caminho. Mesmo que precise dar passos incertos, mesmo que saiba que pode fazer melhor o que está fazendo. Se você aceitar suas possibilidades no presente, com toda certeza vai se sair melhor no futuro."

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

2003

by Mitch Albom

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a poignant novel by Mitch Albom that delves into the intriguing connections that shape our lives, suggesting that heaven offers answers rather than just being a destination. The story revolves around Eddie, a war veteran whose life seems unremarkable. On his 83rd birthday, a fatal accident at the amusement park where he works propels him into the afterlife.

In this new existence, Eddie encounters five individuals who each played a pivotal role in his earthly journey. These encounters shed light on the seemingly inconsequential moments of his life, bringing clarity and understanding to his existence. One by one, they unravel the significance behind the lingering question: "Why was I here?"

Mitch Albom crafts an original and moving narrative that challenges preconceived notions of the afterlife and the meaning of our time on earth. The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a story that resonates with anyone who has pondered their life's purpose and the impact of their actions.

The Razor's Edge

Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolute. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of Maugham's most brilliant characters - his fiancee Isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and Elliot Templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate American snob. The most ambitious of Maugham's novels, this is also one in which Maugham himself plays a considerable part as he wanders in and out of the story, to observe his characters struggling with their fates.

The Bhagavad Gita

The eighteen chapters of The Bhagavad Gita (c. 500 b.c.), the glory of Sanskrit literature, encompass the whole spiritual struggle of a human soul. Its three central themes—love, light, and life—arise from the symphonic vision of God in all things and of all things in God.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Peace Like a River

2001

by Leif Enger

Once in a great while, we encounter a novel in our voluminous reading that begs to be read aloud. Leif Enger's debut, Peace Like a River, is one such work. His richly evocative novel, narrated by an asthmatic 11-year-old named Reuben Land, is the story of Reuben's unusual family and their journey across the frozen Badlands of the Dakotas in search of his fugitive older brother. Charged with the murder of two locals who terrorized their family, Davy has fled, understanding that the scales of justice will not weigh in his favor. But Reuben, his father, Jeremiah—a man of faith so deep he has been known to produce miracles—and Reuben's little sister, Swede, follow closely behind the fleeing Davy.

Affecting and dynamic, Peace Like a River is at once a tragedy, a romance, and an unflagging exploration into the spirituality and magic possible in the everyday world, and in that of the world awaiting us on the other side of life. In Enger's superb debut effort, we witness a wondrous celebration of family, faith, and spirit, the likes of which we haven't seen in a long, long time—and the birth of a classic work of literature.

Life of Pi

2001

by Yann Martel

Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, a Tamil boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

Autobiography of a Yogi

This acclaimed autobiography presents a fascinating portrait of one of the great spiritual figures of our time. With engaging candor, eloquence, and wit, Paramahansa Yogananda narrates the inspiring chronicle of his life: the experiences of his remarkable childhood, encounters with many saints and sages during his youthful search throughout India for an illumined teacher, ten years of training in the hermitage of a revered yoga master, and the thirty years that he lived and taught in America.

Also recorded here are his meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Luther Burbank, the Catholic stigmatist Therese Neumann, and other celebrated spiritual personalities of East and West. Autobiography of a Yogi is at once a beautifully written account of an exceptional life and a profound introduction to the ancient science of Yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. The author clearly explains the subtle but definite laws behind both the ordinary events of everyday life and the extraordinary events commonly termed miracles. His absorbing life story thus becomes the background for a penetrating and unforgettable look at the ultimate mysteries of human existence.

Considered a modern spiritual classic, the book has been translated into more than twenty languages and is widely used as a text and reference work in colleges and universities. A perennial bestseller since it was first published sixty years ago, Autobiography of a Yogi has found its way into the hearts of millions of readers around the world.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind

2001

by Joseph Murphy

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind has been a bestseller since its first publication in 1963, selling many millions of copies since its original publication. It is one of the most brilliant and beloved spiritual self-help works of all time which can help you heal yourself, banish your fears, sleep better, enjoy better relationships and just feel happier. The techniques are simple and results come quickly. You can improve your relationships, your finances, your physical well-being.

Dr. Joseph Murphy explains that life events are actually the result of the workings of your conscious and subconscious minds. He suggests practical techniques through which one can change one's destiny, principally by focusing and redirecting this miraculous energy. Years of research studying the world's major religions convinced him that some Great Power lay behind all spiritual life and that this power is within each of us.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind will open a world of success, happiness, prosperity, and peace for you.

Go Tell It on the Mountain

2000

by James Baldwin

Go Tell It on the Mountain, originally published in 1953, is James Baldwin's first major work, a semi-autobiographical novel that has established itself as an American classic. This novel chronicles a fourteen-year-old boy's discovery of the terms of his identity as the stepson of the minister of a storefront Pentecostal church in Harlem one Saturday in March of 1935. Baldwin's rendering of his protagonist's spiritual, sexual, and moral struggle of self-invention opened new possibilities in the American language and in the way Americans understand themselves.

With lyrical precision, psychological directness, resonating symbolic power, and a rage that is at once unrelenting and compassionate, Baldwin tells the story of the stepson of the minister of a storefront Pentecostal church in Harlem. This "truly extraordinary" novel (Chicago Sun-Times) opened new possibilities in the American language and in the way Americans understand themselves.

The Fifth Mountain

2000

by Paulo Coelho

A Struggle of the Spirit and a Search for the Truth

Written with the same masterful prose and clarity of vision that made The Alchemist an international phenomenon, The Fifth Mountain is Paulo Coelho's inspiring story of the Biblical prophet Elijah. In the ninth century B.C., the Phoenician princess Jezebel orders the execution of all the prophets who refuse to seek safety in the land of Zarephath, where he unexpectedly finds true love with a young widow. But this newfound rapture is to be cut short, and Elijah sees all of his hopes and dreams irrevocably erased as he is swept into a whirlwind of events that threatens his very existence. In what is truly a literary milestone, Coelho gives a quietly moving account of a man touched by the hand of God who must triumph over his frustrations in a soul-shattering trail of faith.

Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes

In this national bestseller, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley, has created a classic look at the values that can change our world--and how to stand up for them. Drawing on anecdotes from his much-admired life of faith and service, as well as examples from American culture today, he examines ten virtues that have always illuminated the path to a better world: love, honesty, morality, civility, learning, forgiveness and mercy, thrift and industry, gratitude, optimism, and faith. He then shows how the two guardians of virtue--marriage and the family--can keep us on that path, even in difficult times.

Standing for Something is an inspiring blueprint for what we all can do--as individuals, as a nation, and as a world community--to rediscover the values and virtues that have historically made us strong and that will lead us to a brighter future.

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

1999

by Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle's message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. And while this message may not seem stunningly original or fresh, Tolle's clear writing, supportive voice, and enthusiasm make this an excellent manual for anyone who's ever wondered what exactly "living in the now" means. Foremost, Tolle is a world-class teacher, able to explain complicated concepts in concrete language. More importantly, within a chapter of reading this book, readers are already holding the world in a different container--more conscious of how thoughts and emotions get in the way of their ability to live in genuine peace and happiness.

Tolle packs a lot of information and inspirational ideas into The Power of Now. Topics include the source of Chi, enlightened relationships, creative use of the mind, impermanence and the cycle of life. Thankfully, he's added markers that symbolise "break time". This is when readers should close the book and mull over what they just read. As a result, The Power of Now reads like the highly acclaimed A Course in Miracles--a spiritual guidebook that has the potential to inspire just as many study groups and change just as many lives for the better.

The Robe

A Roman soldier, Marcellus, wins Christ's robe as a gambling prize. He then sets forth on a quest to find the truth about the Nazarene's robe—a quest that reaches to the very roots and heart of Christianity and is set against the vividly limned background of ancient Rome. Here is a timeless story of adventure, faith, and romance, a tale of spiritual longing and ultimate redemption.

Children of God

Mary Doria Russell's debut novel, The Sparrow, took us on a journey to a distant planet and into the center of the human soul. Children of God, further establishes Russell as one of the most innovative, entertaining, and philosophically provocative novelists writing today.

The only member of the original mission to the planet Rakhat to return to Earth, Father Emilio Sandoz has barely begun to recover from his ordeal when the Society of Jesus calls upon him for help in preparing for another mission to Alpha Centauri. Despite his objections and fear, he cannot escape his past or the future. Old friends, new discoveries, and difficult questions await Emilio as he struggles for inner peace and understanding in a moral universe whose boundaries now extend beyond the solar system and whose future lies with children born in a faraway place.

Strikingly original, richly plotted, replete with memorable characters and filled with humanity and humor, Children of God is an unforgettable and uplifting novel that is a potent successor to The Sparrow and a startlingly imaginative adventure for newcomers to Mary Doria Russell’s special literary magic.

Ishmael

1997

by Daniel Quinn

An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit

The narrator of this extraordinary tale is a man in search for truth. He answers an ad in a local newspaper from a teacher looking for serious pupils, only to find himself alone in an abandoned office with a full-grown gorilla who is nibbling delicately on a slender branch. "You are the teacher?" he asks incredulously. "I am the teacher," the gorilla replies. Ishmael is a creature of immense wisdom and he has a story to tell, one that no other human being has ever heard. It is a story that extends backward and forward over the lifespan of the earth from the birth of time to a future there is still time save. Like all great teachers, Ishmael refuses to make the lesson easy; he demands the final illumination to come from within ourselves. Is it man's destiny to rule the world? Or is it a higher destiny possible for him-- one more wonderful than he has ever imagined?

Confessions

Garry Wills’s complete translation of Saint Augustine’s spiritual masterpiece—available now for the first time. Garry Wills is an exceptionally gifted translator and one of our best writers on religion today. His bestselling translations of individual chapters of Saint Augustine’s Confessions have received widespread and glowing reviews. Now for the first time, Wills’s translation of the entire work is being published as a Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Removed by time and place but not by spiritual relevance, Augustine’s Confessions continues to influence contemporary religion, language, and thought. Reading with fresh, keen eyes, Wills brings his superb gifts of analysis and insight to this ambitious translation of the entire book.

Wills renders Augustine’s famous and influential text in direct language with all the spirited wordplay and poetic strength intact.”—Los Angeles Times

Wills’s translations... are meant to bring Augustine straight into our own minds; and they succeed. Well-known passages, over which my eyes have often gazed, spring to life again from Wills’s pages.”—Peter Brown, The New York Review of Books

“Augustine flourishes in Wills’s hand.”—James Wood

“A masterful synthesis of classical philosophy and scriptural erudition.”—Chicago Tribune

Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book 1

Suppose you could ask God the most puzzling questions about existence - questions about love and faith, life and death, good and evil. Suppose God provided clear, understandable answers. It happened to Neale Donald Walsch. It can happen to you. You are about to have a conversation... I have heard the crying of your heart. I have seen the searching of your soul. I know how deeply you have desired the Truth. In pain have you called out for it, and in joy. Unendingly have you beseeched Me. Show Myself. Explain Myself. Reveal Myself. I am doing so here, in terms so plain, you cannot misunderstand. In language so simple, you cannot be confused. In vocabulary so common, you cannot get lost in the verbiage. So go ahead now. Ask Me anything. Anything. I will contrive to bring you the answer. The whole universe will I use to do this. So be on the lookout; this book is far from My only tool. You may ask a question, then put this book down. But watch. Listen. The words to the next song you hear. The information in the next article you read. The story line of the next movie you watch. The chance utterance of the next person you meet. Or the whisper of the next river, the next ocean, the next breeze that caresses your ear - all these devices are Mine; all these avenues are open to Me. I will speak to you if you will listen. I will come to you if you will invite Me. I will show you then that I have always been there. All ways.

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