To those who already saunter, to those thinking of walking, to those who walk aerobically, to those who vigorously swing their arms or carry weights, to those who clamp on a headset to study or otherwise be entertained en route, to those who walk from here to there and back, to those who very deliberately walk only for their health, this book is dedicated to opening up new and rewarding experiences en route.
Social postmodernism and systematic theology can be considered the new pair in some of the most creative discussions on the future of theological method on a global scale. Both in the academy and in the public square, as well as in the manifold local and pastoral moments of ministry and community social activism, the social, the postmodern, and the theological intermingle in engaging and border-crossing ways. The Community of the Weak presents a new kind of jazzy fundamental theology with a postmodern touch, using jazz as a metaphor, writing ethnographically messy texts out of the personal windows of lived experiences, combining fragments of autobiography with theological reconstruction. A comparative perspective on North American and European developments in contemporary systematic theology serves as a hermeneutical horizon to juxtapose two continents in their very different contexts. The author proposes a systematic and fundamental theology that is more jazzy, global, and narrative, deeply embedded in pastoral ministry to tell its postmodern story.
Disconnect from the distractions of daily life and reconnect with nature with Wild Walking, an enticing and comprehensive introduction to forest bathing--or Shinrin-yoku, in Japan. Full sensory immersion in the beauty and wonder of nature and trees can produce mental, emotional, and physical health benefits. Research has shown that forest bathing lowers blood pressure, pulse rate, and cortisol levels; improves mood; and may even boost our immunity to cancer and other diseases. Wild Walking invites you to experience the benefits of this healing practice for yourself. Learn the history and background of forest bathing, followed by detailed instructions for establishing a forest bathing practice in your own adopted "wild home," encompassed in three steps: 1. Disengagement from your daily routine 2. Deep breathing and nature connection through a series of quiet activities or "invitations" 3. Transitioning back to your daily life This restorative activity can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities: children, teenagers, and even senior citizens with limited mobility and people recovering from illness and surgery. And you don't need to travel to the Japanese alps to experience the benefits of forest bathing. All you need is a small patch of untouched (or lightly touched) nature to adopt as your "wild home." Within, find practical tips and inspiration for forest bathing through the seasons: in the winter, when the leafless trees open up new vistas; in the spring, when you can hear the melodious serenade of song birds as they nest in the newly formed green canopy; in the summer, watching the butterflies nectaring on wildflowers; and in the autumn, when you can catch glimpses of hurried squirrels storing food for the winter. Wild Walking introduces a variety of activities that can be enhanced with forest bathing elements, such as mindfulness practices, exercise, art and writing, and outdoor celebrations. Learn, too, how surrendering to the mysteries of nature can provide guidance through difficult times. As you find nourishment in nature, you will instinctively begin to wonder how you can preserve and protect this healing resource. This guide includes suggestions for tending to your "wild home." Illustrated throughout with enchanting artwork and stunning nature photography, Wild Walking is the perfect guide to enhancing your life with the wondrous world of nature.
Labyrinths and labyrintine borders have been around for a very long time. In fact, they have been used outside of formal religion as a ritual object to express spiritual values for at least 3500 years in countries all over the world, including China, India, the Holy Land, Ireland, Southern Europe, Scandinavia, pre-Columbian America, and England. They can be found at Neolithic and Sardinian and Hopi rock art sites, in Hindu temples and Taoist shrines, bordering Minoan frescoes, and in Roman mosaics. They have been incorporated into Roman Catholic and Episcopal cathedrals, Protestant churches, and in New Age retreat centres. They have been carved into rocks, turf, and wood; engraved in metal; laid out in stones; woven in reeds; set in tiles; painted and drawn. In other words, the labyrinth is a nearly universal form and comes as close as we can to an archetype. An archetype is a symbol that appeals to us at an unconscious level. We don’t have to struggle with its meaning intellectually. Its symbolic meaning is somehow ingrained in us, part of our very nature. As a result, it may appeal to us without our even understanding why. It is always risky to talk about the meaning of such an archetypal symbol. We know that it must carry a wealth of meaning to appeal to so many different sorts of people over such a long stretch of time. But we can, tentatively, explore some of its meanings if we stay aware that we can never really plumb all of its riches.
When I was young, the Civil War and the Revolutionary War was ancient history to me. However, as I now reflect on my life, I suddenly realize how young our country is for I knew somebody who knew people in the Revolutionary War that ended over 225 years ago! GrandmotherGranniemother of my Grandfather Herbert Windsorwas born in 1835 and died in 1927 when I was fivea wonderful old lady I loved. She was 10 in 1845, 60 years after that war ended. I am sure there were numerous veterans then 80-90 years old. And so, I touched the woman who touched some veterans of the Revolutionary War! She also had to know quite a few in the Civil War when she was 20-years-old, a war that ended only 57 years before my birth. Put in this perspective, what has happened to our country in that time is incredible from total population, to trains, planes, telephones, automobiles, medicines, radio, TV, computers, a man on the moon and millions of new citizens from all over the world! None of these people could even have conceived of such marvels nor a life expectancy from about 35 to 40 to 83 plus. My life has seen an explosion in technology that now affects the entire world. I have been privileged to be in on the beginning of some of that technology. * * * * * I have written these memoirs so that the family and possible future generations might share in my experiences of a life of many involvements, many accomplishments, some failures, many contacts with the famous, and a life for which I can be so grateful. As the youngest of four, I often was rebelliousI wanted my own way. I suspect this was partly due to inheriting some of my fathers genes. (Occasionally I had tantrums which were easily handled by mother who would say, Go on and yell, Ill wait. That pretty well cooled my attempt at getting attention.) Still, I was brought up in a loving family, the four of us with our parents were all for each other. Thanks to Dads success in business, we were brought up, even with the Depression, with comfort. Throughout my career, I was known for being quite creative. I think that too came in part from Dad being very positive about doing things his way. I wanted to challenge him on many things and that caused me to think about new ways. I never could have guessed I would marry a girl from my kindergarten class. I was based in California and fearlessly spoke up to my commanding officer (a Major) whose name was the same as a fellow member of Tiger Inn at Princeton. He changed my orders that permitted me to call a girl I had dated at Vassar and while on a weekend date in La Jolla, I visited the parents of Mary Randolph who lived there. I always enjoyed the Randolphs, each of whom had creative talents and an unusual sense of humor. They enjoyed small situations that would pass by most people. Their only child absorbed the best of each. Sixty years later she could still reel off a classic story while having fun doing it. Randy has been an extraordinary companion all these years. She was always very creative with great talents in so many ways. Still, except for our common background in Bronxville, from the start we had different interests. Mine were sports and music and taking risks. Hers were reading, writing and avoidance of conflict. By necessity she was brought up frugally. The fact we stayed together all these 68 years is a great tribute to her hanging in as she raised our kids, cooked their meals on time, dressed them, and drove them to wherever. In our earlier years when we were still trying to adjust to each other, she once said she should have married a 9-5 husband who didnt commute. Her support for my passion for various jobs with late hours and business trips while she was stuck at home made my life possible. How lucky can a man be. She raised four wonderful children, each quite different from the other yet each closely and lovingly attached to each other and to us. NOTE: To minimize confusion when Randy
In Walking with Nature Spirits I share how to develop a collaborative relationship with nature spirits and nature in order to create a rooted and embodied life. Nature spirits are unlike any other kind of spirit you can work with. They don’t care about making pacts or bargains. Their focus is on taking care of nature and if you want to work with them you have to shift your approach to spirit work in a way that will seem radical and yet can help you develop a deeper relationship with the world around you. In this book you will also learn the following: How to meet and recognize the spirit and character of the land and communicate with it. How to identify power spots and ley lines and form a bond with them. How to work with the land you live on and make it into a place of power. How to use all of your senses, psychic and physical to work with nature spirits. and much more! If you’re ready to develop a deeper relationship with nature and nature spirits, this book will teach you a new approach to working with nature that will help you develop bond with the land.
A collection of caregiving tools combining the values of Jewish tradition and self-relations—useful for practitioners of ANY faith! Self-relations, a powerful framework for doing respectful and humane caregiving for oneself and for others is here brought into relationship with Jewish thought. Jewish Relational Care A-Z: We Are Our Other’s Keeper is an extensive resource for caregiving tools and approaches. Using Jewish tradition and Self-Relations as take-off points, experts from many fields provide insightful perspectives and effective strategies for caregiving. In the language of self-relations each of us is not referred to as a Self. Instead, each of us is more accurately described as a relationship between “selves”—relationship is the basic psychological and religious unit! Jewish Relational Care A-Z: We Are Our Other’s Keeper sensitively centers on relationships and the healing process, using the understanding that to spark healing in others, a loving, respectful relationship must first be present between every aspect of our “selves.” Thirty-six categories of caregiving are comprehensively presented, allowing its use as a helpful resource for any clergy considering any of the included topics. Each author’s personal reflections, and personal experiences using care tools clearly illustrate how love-respect relationships within oneself can transcend into effective care for others. Jewish Relational Care A-Z: We Are Our Other’s Keeper provides helpful tools and explores: the use of language as a relational care tool time management for optimum performance for oneself and for others compassion fatigue, the need for self-care, and nurturing your own spiritual and psychological development purposeful visiting as a sacred task silence as an important part of spiritual care the profound difference made in lives through relational listening music as sacred power—a communion between humans and the Divine chanting as an intimate expression of the soul creative ritual in relational healing spontaneous prayer, and its place in relational care relational care with other faiths inside and outside of the community care for those going through divorce care when a pregnancy is unwelcome relational care for sexual orientation and gender identity issues successful caring for those who don’t care about you dealing with traumatic loss care for those who have sinned sexually fragile relationships care with the healthy aging relational care and retired clergy care for those traumatized by sexual abuse care for the cognitively impaired, mentally ill, and developmentally disabled care for the final moments of life care for the sick and dying care within the grieving process Jewish Relational Care A-Z: We Are Our Other’s Keeper is practical, insightful reading for clergy and caregivers of all denominations, educators, students, and lay people who care about clergy and their work.
This is an inspirational story based on real-life events that leads to a discovery of Bills own humanity. After a tragic event, Bill is guided through his past to reveal four pillars of spirituality. The discovery reveals a path of life filled with opportunities. The struggle for bigger dreams in life competes with a darkness of complacency. The four pillars form one final lesson as darkness sets in again, revealing the foundation of life. Upon reflection of his journey, the path revealed Gods guiding hand. Intertwined with a miracle or two along the way, the disciplines became the foundation for his future success.
This book introduces and critically explores walking as an innovative method for doing social research, showing how its sensate and kinaesthetic attributes facilitate connections with lived experiences, journeys and memories, communities and identities. The book situates walking methods historically, sociologically, and in relation to biographical and arts-based research, as well as new work on mobilities, the digital, spatial, and the sensory. The book is organised into three sections: theorising; experiencing; and imagining walking as a new method for doing biographical research. There is a key focus upon the Walking Interview as a Biographical Method (WIBM) on the move to usefully explore migration, memory, and urban landscapes, as part of participatory, visual, and ethnographic research with marginalised communities and artists and as re-formative and transgressive. The book concludes with autobiographical walks taken by the authors and a discussion about the future of the walking interview as biographical method. Walking Methods combines theory with a series of original ethnographic and participatory research examples. Practical exercises and a guide to using walking as a method help to make this a rich resource for social science researchers, students, walking artists, and biographical researchers.
Thousands of years separate the biblical world from our present world. The gaps in time, language, culture, and place often make it difficult to read and understand biblical texts written long ago. More often than not, we have limited knowledge of the historical background of the Bible. This book attempts to serve as one of the doors to enter the biblical world. Through pictures and brief commentaries, this book shows the places where Jesus set his feet on, as well as other biblical sites in Israel. Discover: Why Lake Galilee has several names – Tiberias, Gennesaret, Chinnereth, Chinneroth … How Jesus moved from Nazareth to Capernaum … How Capernaum became the center of his ministry in Galilee … An ancient olive tree which may have witnessed Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane … How a British general proposed a new location for Calvary, different from the site which has traditionally been accepted as Golgotha … How 35-40% of the Arab population of modern Nazareth are Christians … And how once a year Christians are allowed to commemorate the ascension of Jesus in a chapel that now functions as a mosque. The author took the photos in this book when he was assigned to lead a group from the Bible Society of Singapore and Trinity Theological College to Israel.
