The purpose of this text is to draw an analogy between the experiences of the peacock in the natural order and the peak experiences in the human condition. The peacock is capable of personifying the male and female consciousness in humans. Peak experiences are part of everyday life. The task is to assimilate human experience into the male (animus) and female (anima)parts of our consciousness. These experiences allow one to illuminate and identify one's destiny path in terms of one's capabilities and gifts. A person's destiny path is a choice which is determined by one's awareness and acceptance of one's roll in the Divine array. By accepting one's role and place in the Divine array, a person is able to achieve his/her destiny and oneness with the universe.
In Peak Experiences, Marshall sets out on a far more personal and far-reaching journey: to discover how our modern estrangement from the natural world has affected our mental well-being.".
What comes to mind when you hear the word “koan”? You probably know koans as paradoxes, and you may believe that they are therefore illogical or intellectually inscrutable—and therefore not useful to the average person. Zen Koans: Paradoxical Awakenings is the tool you need to correct your perceptions of koans and become aware of the benefits of koan practice. Embracing the paradox of the koan can give deeper meaning to life, as well as leading to the Buddhist awakening to your real, non-dual nature. With an experienced Zen teacher as your guide, you can enter more deeply into the three essentials of Zen: great faith, great doubt, and great determination.
From her early childhood episodes to her most recent encounters, she depicts how the Whispers have provided inspiration, insight, strength, and courage as she attempts to shape her existence. The text provides not only a step-by-step process but memoirs that allow the process and application to unfold as historic events. The author's purpose is to leave a legacy of wonder about how these historic events establish, maintain, and sustain an on-going dialectic which ultimately determines one's destiny. This text is the completion of a trilogy. The author revisits the substance of the dialectic in the prior texts so there is no need to have read those texts to follow the process, events, and outcomes depicted in the text. The Whispers were introduced in the first text, Called by Many Names. The nature of the conversation involves mental discourse, listening, reflection and contemplation. For many, her relationship with the Whispers may appear to be unique, but what makes this text unique is the way and means used by the author to present her experiences. She glides effortlessly through the literary elements and genre styles, as she captures one's interest.
• Explains how the Yezidis worship Melek Ta’us, the Peacock Angel, an enigmatic figure often identified as “the devil” or Satan, yet who has been redeemed by God to rule a world of beauty and spiritual realization • Examines Yezidi antinomian doctrines of opposition, their cosmogony, their magical lore and taboos, the role of angels, ritual, and symbology, and how the Yezidi faith relates to other occult traditions such as alchemy • Presents the first English translation of the poetry of Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya, venerated by the Yezidis as Sultan Ezi The Yezidis are an ancient people who live in the mountainous regions on the borders of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. This secretive culture worships Melek Ta’us, the Peacock Angel, an enigmatic figure often identified as “the devil” or Satan, hence the sect is known as devil-worshippers and has long been persecuted. Presenting a study of the interior, esoteric dimensions of Yezidism, Peter Lamborn Wilson examines the sect’s antinomian doctrines of opposition, its magical lore and taboos, and its relation to other occult traditions such as alchemy. He explains how the historical founder of this sect was a Sufi of Ummayad descent, Sheik Adi ibn Musafir, who settled in this remote region around 1111 AD and found a pre-Islamic sect already settled there. Sheik Adi was so influenced by the original sect that he departed from orthodox Islam, and by the 15th century the sect was known to worship the Peacock Angel, Melek Ta’us, with all its “Satanic” connotations. Revealing the spiritual flowering that occurs in an oral culture, the author examines Yezidi cosmogony, how they are descended from the androgynous Adam--before Eve was created--as well as the role of angels, ritual, alchemy, symbology, and color in Yezidi religion. He also presents the first English translation of the poetry of Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya, venerated by the Yezidis as Sultan Ezi. Showing the Yezidi sect to be a syncretic faith of pre-Islamic, Zoroastrian, Christian, Pagan, Sufi, and other influences, Wilson reveals how these worshippers of the Peacock Angel do indeed worship “the Devil”--but the devil is not “evil.” God has redeemed him, and he rules a world of beauty and spiritual realization.
This book presents a series of perspectives on the therapeutic potential of the ritual and clinical use of the Amazonian hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca in the treatment and management of various diseases and ailments, especially its role in psychological well-being and substance dependence. Biomedical and anthropological data on the use of ayahuasca for treating depression, PTSD, and substance dependence in different settings, such as indigenous contexts, neo-shamanic rituals, contemporary therapeutic circles, and in ayahuasca religions, in both South and North America, are presented and critiqued. Though multiple anecdotal reports on the therapeutic use of ayahuasca exist, there has been no systematic and dense reflection on the topic thus far. The book brings the therapeutic use of ayahuasca to a new level of public examination and academic debate. The texts in this volume stimulate discussion on methodological, ethical, and political aspects of research and will enhance the development of this emergent field of studies.
This is a rich source of innovative approaches to learning and teaching in HE. It addresses some common issues faced by lecturers, and includes case studies and practical suggestions for teaching. The text takes a critical approach to exploring themes from different perspectives and highlights important and recent theory in the field. Chapters cover themes such as creating enabling learning environments, supporting students to learn constructively in large groups, working with international learners, embedding employability skills and developing self-directed (or ‘flipped’) learning resources. Each section has practical examples from a range of subject disciplines along with links to further reading. This is an essential guide to teaching and learning for new and experienced practitioners in higher education, those seeking professional accreditation and those wanting to improve the experience of students.
