Is there a universal consciousness in whose consciousness we live, move, and have our being? The exploration of consciousness is the final frontier in the exploration of life and the mysteries of existence - its origin, its on-going presence - as well as for answering questions that intellectual analysis cannot answer because it is based on the speculations of the five senses. Consider then that within every human being there are simultaneous states of existence that are active - predating human life, during human life, and beyond human life. Participate in this world of illusions but always retain the light of universal awareness, wherever your soul's purpose path may lead you. - Dr. Paul Leon Masters
Though love is a perennial topic for writers of all kinds, much of what is written aboutlove is simplistic and unsatisfying. In Conscious Love, Richard Smoley—an expert on the esoteric traditions of mystical Christianity—incorporates insights and wisdom about love from noted thinkers in literature, art, philosophy, sociology, cultural criticism, and even neurology. This remarkable book offers a blueprint for infusing conscious love into human relationships.
Built around the extraordinary stories of seven people who have been unwitting visitors to the spiritual world, The BIG Picture examines the themes of reincarnation, the relationship between karma and destiny, the divide between religion and spirituality, humanitys task in creation, and the emergence of a new Western spirituality to lead us into the next stage of the evolution of consciousness. In The BIG Picture, author Garry Gilfoy discloses his own spiritual experiences and also tells the stories of others, such as Joy, who was sent back from the realm of spirit without her husband after a horrific crash; Trish, who died numerous times before learning to visit her cosmic classroom at will; Helen, who relived a holocaust nightmare before her eyes opened onto ancient Egypt; and Keely, who was miraculously saved by a familiar figure, the Watcher. Gilfoy helps us contemplate deeper meanings and refocus the lens through which we view the world. The BIG Picture guides us to ponder unusual possibilities that can shift the point of reference for our earthly thoughts and deeds.
This work is a comprehensive study of the philosophical issues raised by mysticism. Mystics claim to experience reality in a way not available in normal life, a claim which makes this phenomenon interesting from a philosophical perspective. Richard H. Jones's inquiry focuses on the skeleton of beliefs and values of mysticism: knowledge claims made about the nature of reality and of human beings; value claims about what is significant and what is ethical; and mystical goals and ways of life. Jones engages language, epistemology, metaphysics, science, and the philosophy of mind. Methodological issues in the study of mysticism are also addressed. Examples of mystical experience are drawn chiefly from Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta, but also from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Daoism.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), a French Jesuit priest and scientist, charted a new path in reconciling Christian theology with evolutionary science. Here, a theologian-scientist examines Teilhard's mysticism, showing how science can illuminate the mystical path while also demonstrating the compatibility between Teilhard's thought and current frontiers in scientific exploration.
Wild Mercy is essential reading for anyone ready to awaken the feminine mystic within and birth her loving, creative, and untamed power into the world. “Mystical brilliance at its best.” —Caroline Myss “No one can take us into the fiery and tender depths of the sacred feminine with more skill, humor, clarity, and vibrant naked honesty than Mirabai Starr.” —Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope and The Return of the Mother We live in a world that has suffered the abuses of an unbalanced masculine rule for thousands of years—but the feminine is rising. “Seeds of feminine wisdom that have been quietly germinating underground are now breaking through the surface,” writes Mirabai Starr. “Women everywhere are rising to the collective call to step up and repair our broken Earth. And we are activating a paradigm shift such as the world has never seen.” With Wild Mercy, Mirabai shares the subversive wisdom and fierce compassion of the feminine mystic across cultural boundaries and throughout history. From saints and sages, to goddesses and archetypal energies, to contemporary teachers and seekers—you’ll meet women who blazed a path that will illuminate your own. Each chapter explores a different facet of feminine mysticism through a tapestry of teachings, reflections, and stories, along with a practice for integrating the chapter’s themes into your own life. As you journey through these pages, you’ll explore: Taking refuge in contemplative practice with St. Teresa of Avila and the ShekinahLonging, embodiment, and union as the heart of feminine spiritual practice with the Hindu poet Mirabai and Mary MagdaleneYour relationship with the Earth, motherhood in all its forms, and a loving call to action alongside Gaia and Ix ChelCommunity and the web of life with Indra, the Beguines, and female prophets throughout historyWild, playful, and compassionate mercy with Tara and Kuan YinFinding joy in creativity and the arts with Saraswati and Chiyo-niMore inspiration from archetypal goddesses and amazing women past and present—Julian of Norwich, the Sufi saint Rabia, Pachamama, Sophia, Old Spider Woman, Hildegard of Bingen, Demeter, Kali, and more Wild Mercy provides a much-needed alternative to the models of religion and spirituality that have dominated history. Here, Mirabai invites you to welcome the wisdom of women back into the collective field where it may transform the human family, heal the ravaged Earth, and awaken the divine love in our hearts.
Now in a fully corrected edition, one of the true spiritual classics of the twentieth century. Published for the first time with an index and Cardinal Hans Urs von Balthasar’s afterword, this new English publication of Meditations on the Tarot is the landmark edition of one of the most important works of esoteric Christianity. Written anonymously and published posthumously, as was the author’s wish, the intention of this work is for the reader to find a relationship with the author in the spiritual dimensions of existence. The author wanted not to be thought of as a personality who lived from 1900 to 1973, but as a friend who is communicating with us from beyond the boundaries of ordinary life. Using the 22 major arcana of the tarot deck as a means to explore some of humanity’s most penetrating spiritual questions, Meditations on the Tarot has attracted an unprecedented range of praise from across the spiritual spectrum.
Luminous spirits that transcend space, time, culture, and religion are recorded in the chronicles of spiritual history; they leave a lasting impression on the minds and hearts of people from all eras. Baba Farid Ji, a respected Sufi saint whose life, teachings, and spiritual legacy continue to inspire and direct seekers on the path of love, devotion, and self-realization, is one such luminous character. The book "Baba Farid Ji: The Life, Teachings, and Spiritual Legacy of Baba Farid Ji" makes a sincere effort to examine the deep path of this spiritual giant, whose heavenly presence and ageless knowledge continue to speak to contemporary seekers of truth.
Christian Mystical Theology: A Way of Life. Mystical theology as a way of life is Bible based. It includes single and married laypeople and the religious who were mystics known throughout centuries up to contemporary times. Mystics are messengers into the Christian and human communities from their divine encounter with Jesus. In chapter 1, "Committed Eros," Patricia writes about her dual marriages--her human marriage to Richard F. Frisch, fifty-three years, and her mystical marriage with Jesus, thirty-five years. "Committed Eros" shows her longing for faithful community development. Part 1 chapters also explain mystical theology, the language of the mystics, references for the enrichment, and in-depth exploration of mystics from the Bible up to contemporary mystics and the development of the Trinity. Part 2 flows from part 1 with examples from the Gospels and the Christian history of committed mystical friendships through the presence of Jesus. A unique understanding of Jesus and his mother's relationship to the incarnation becomes the basis for the following chapters regarding committed mystical, agape friendships. Church leadership, intellectual pursuits, and everyday life are finding balance and harmony. Harmony is rising through the mystics, contemplatives, and ordinary people who enjoy peace through prayerful participation in contemporary mystical theology. The book ends with the hope that everyone finds ways to share their prayer journey with the communities. 1
Responding to our modern disillusionment with any claims to absolute truth regarding morality or reality, this book offers a conceptual approach for discussing absolutes without denying either the relevance of divergent religious and philosophical teachings or the evidence supporting postmodern and poststructuralist critiques. Case studies of mysticism within Advaita-Vedānta Hinduism, Mādhyamika Buddhism, and Nicene Christianity demonstrate the value of this approach and offer many fresh insights into the metaphysical presuppositions of these religions as well as into the nature and value of mystical experience. Like Douglas Hofstadter's Gōdel, Escher, Bach, this book finds ultimate reality to be rationally graspable only as an eternal fugue of pattern and paradox. Yet it does not so much counter other philosophical views as provide a conceptual tool for understanding and classifying incommensurable views.
