Practices of Wonder
Practices of Wonder

Author: Sophia Vasalou

Publisher: James Clarke & Company

Published: 2013-01-31

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 0227901673

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Wonder has often occupied a place of unique importance across a variety of human practices and intellectual activities. At different times and historical periods, it has been hailed as the beginning of philosophy and as the end that philosophy should aspire to pursue; as the motive force of scientific quests and their fruit; as the aim of art and the means art uses to accomplish its aims; and as the religious experience par excellence and the hallmark of a deeper spiritual life. Yet despite thespecial relationship it has borne to many of our most highly valued intellectual and spiritual practices, wonder remains a neglected and understudied notion. This volume aims to redress this neglect, bringing together a collection of essays drawn from different disciplines to consider the sense of wonder from a number of complementary perspectives. What is wonder? What role has it historically played in philosophy, science, art and aesthetics, and the religious or spiritual life? Can wonder be dangerous? Is wonder an experience in which we should, or indeed could, aspire to dwell? Why, among human experiences, should it be prized?

The Gift of Wonder
The Gift of Wonder

Author: Christine Aroney-Sine

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2019-03-26

Total Pages: 245

ISBN-13: 0830871586

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Can you imagine a God who dances with shouts of joy, laughs when you laugh, loves to play, and invites us to join the fun? In this book Christine Sine invites us to pay attention to childlike characteristics that have the power to reshape us, with fresh spiritual practices that engage all our senses and help us embrace the wonder and joy that God intends for us.

Wonder
Wonder

Author: Sophia Vasalou

Publisher: State University of New York Press

Published: 2015-04-15

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13: 1438455542

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Wonder has been celebrated as the quintessential passion of childhood. From the earliest stages of our intellectual history, it has been acclaimed as the driving force of inquiry and the prime passion of thought. Yet for an emotion acknowledged so widely for the multiple roles it plays in our lives, wonder has led a singularly shadowy existence in recent reflections. Philosophers have largely passed it over in silence; emotion theorists have shunned it as a case that sits awkwardly within their analytical frameworks. So what is wonder, and why does it matter? In this book, Sophia Vasalou sketches a "grammar" of wonder that pursues the complexities of wonder as an emotional experience that has carved colorful tracks through our language and our intellectual history, not only in philosophy and science but also in art and religious experience. A richer grammar of wonder and broader window into its past can give us the tools we need for thinking more insightfully about wonder, and for reflecting on the place it should occupy within our emotional lives.

Wonder in Contemporary Artistic Practice
Wonder in Contemporary Artistic Practice

Author: Christian Mieves

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-01-12

Total Pages: 378

ISBN-13: 131751792X

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Wonder has an established link to the history and philosophy of science. However, there is little acknowledgement of the relationship between the visual arts and wonder. This book presents a new perspective on this overlooked connection, allowing a unique insight into the role of wonder in contemporary visual practice. Artists, curators and art theorists give accounts of their approach to wonder through the use of materials, objects and ways of exhibiting. These accounts not only raise issues of a particular relevance to the way in which we encounter our reality today but ask to what extent artists utilize the function of wonder purposely in their work.

Practices of Wonder
Practices of Wonder

Author: Sophia Vasalou

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2012-10-29

Total Pages: 267

ISBN-13: 1610972163

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Wonder has often occupied a place of unique importance across a variety of human practices and intellectual activities. At different times and historical periods, it has been hailed as the beginning of philosophy and as the end that philosophy should aspire to pursue; as the motive force of scientific quests and their fruit; as the aim of art and the means art uses to accomplish its aims; and as the religious experience par excellence and the hallmark of a deeper spiritual life. Yet despite the special relationship it has borne to many of our most highly valued intellectual and spiritual practices, wonder remains a neglected and understudied notion. This volume aims to redress this neglect, bringing together a collection of essays drawn from different disciplines to consider the sense of wonder from a number of complementary perspectives. What is wonder? What role has it historically played in philosophy, science, art and aesthetics, and the religious or spiritual life? Can wonder be dangerous? Is wonder an experience in which we should, or indeed could, aspire to dwell? Why, among human experiences, should it be prized? Contributors: Mary-Jane Rubenstein, Stephen Mulhall, Sylvana Chrysakopoulou, Derek Matravers, Michel Hulin, Alexander Rueger, Robert Fuller, David Burrell, Claude-Olivier Doron & Sophia Vasalou.

Where Wonder Lives
Where Wonder Lives

Author: Fabiana Fondevila

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2020-12-29

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1644111756

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Take a journey by map through your inner landscape to discover a life of awe, enchantment, and radical aliveness • Explains how experiencing awe and wonder can transform our lives, leading us to feel more satisfied, peaceful, and open to others • Offers contemporary and time-honored practices--from mindfulness to dreamwork and working with plants--that help you reconnect with Nature and your imagination, open your heart, and find vitality and enchantment • Explores ways of examining and embracing our shadow, deepening our relationships, and creating meaningful personal rituals Where Wonder Lives invites you on a journey, an expedition through your own inner landscape to reawaken to the mystery of life. The travels are by way of an imaginary map through 9 distinct territories. In each, you explore the terrain, then are led to a rich set of contemporary and time-honored practices--from mindfulness to dreamwork, cloudscapes, and working with plants--that help you rebuild a life of vitality, connection, and enchantment. There is no prescribed order in which to explore the map. Rather, the invitation is to begin at the territory that calls to you, or perhaps that which is most challenging. Each territory reflects and amplifies the others, and you will instinctively arrive at the practices that you need most. The Jungle delves into our original deep kinship with Nature and helps you rekindle your inner wildness. The Garden takes you on a journey through your senses, and the River unfurls your imagination. The Mountaintop presents a bird’s-eye view of your life, while the Swamp delves into your inner shadow and delivers gold. The Village helps us deepen our bonds and relationships, the Lighthouse teaches us to quiet our minds, and the Fire inspires us to create meaningful ceremonies and personal rituals. The Ocean looks into the topography of the heart and offers practices to awaken the heart’s most powerful emotions: awe, joy, compassion, gratitude, and love, the mother of them all. Throughout the journey you are immersed in a world of wonder and awe, discovering new possibilities for learning and expansion in ordinary life. Face to face with the mystery of life, Where Wonder Lives makes you feel at once both infinitely small and part of a vast, unfathomable universe--all while helping you to see the world anew.

Wonder Awaits!
Wonder Awaits!

Author: Caroline Hamilton-Arnold

Publisher: Chalice Press

Published: 2022-02-22

Total Pages: 32

ISBN-13: 0827243413

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Have you ever noticed that children are always listening, seeing, touching, smelling, tasting… and thinking? Wonder Awaits! encourages children of all ages to use those senses and everyday activities to see the miracles of creation. Kids are encouraged to get close, get dirty, look carefully, look up, make art, make friends, be brave, be curious, be present, and be amazed — all activities we adults should do too, right? Accompanying the words are dozens of photos portraying children from 2 to 6 years of age representing the practices encouraged by the text. Diversity is a key aspect of photo selection, reflecting a variety of races and abilities. The book also includes pages for families to list the wonderful things they have noticed, the places they find filled with wonder, and what wonder-filled faces look like. Finally, the book suggests religious practices and passages to enhance their wonder-detection skills.

Ordinary Wonder
Ordinary Wonder

Author: Charlotte Joko Beck

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2021-06-22

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 1611808774

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Fresh and never-before published talks on the crux of Buddhist practice and how to uncover wonder in your daily life from legendary Zen teacher and bestselling author Charlotte Joko Beck. "As you embrace the suffering of life, the wonder shows up at the same time. They go together."--Charlotte Joko Beck In this collection of never-before published teachings by Charlotte Joko Beck, one of the most influential Western-born Zen teachers, she explores our “core beliefs”—the hidden, negative convictions we hold about ourselves that direct our thoughts and behavior and prevent us from experiencing life as it is. Wryly humorous and relatable, Beck uses powerfully clear language to show how our lives present us with daily opportunities to move from thinking to experiencing, from compulsivity to confidence, and from anguish to peace. Whether you are a Zen practitioner or a reader interested in exploring these teachings for the first time, Ordinary Wonder offers the depth and breadth of Beck’s remarkable experience in an accessible guide to practice amidst the struggles of daily life.