Dark Splendor
Dark Splendor

Author: Robert P. Vande Kappelle

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2015-06-29

Total Pages: 163

ISBN-13: 1498230768

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Mistakes, disappointments, suffering, and heartbreak can prevent us from growing physically, emotionally, even spiritually, or they can propel us to a new way of life. Building on the contributions of therapists, holistic healers, and spiritual mentors such as Richard Rohr, James Hollis, Elizabeth Lesser, Bill Plotkin, Ken Wilber, and Thich Nhat Hanh, Dark Splendor takes us on a journey into "depth" spirituality, exploring the two halves of life, noting how the perspectives and experiences of the first half of life either leave us frozen emotionally and spiritually, or serve as stepping stones to the vibrant maturity called "the second half of life." This "further journey" is not chronological, nor does one magically stumble upon it at midlife or in times of crisis, though these often serve as catalysts. The second journey is largely unknown today, even by people we consider deeply religious, since most individuals and institutions remain stymied in the preoccupations of the first half of life, establishing identity, creating boundary markers, and seeking security. The first-half-of-life task, while essential, is not the full journey. Furthermore, one cannot walk the second journey with first-journey tools. One needs a new toolkit. Dark Splendor provides the transformational tools that help transport us to the mystery and beauty of the second half of life. The world is more magical, less predictable, more autonomous, less controllable, more varied, less simple, more infinite, less knowable, more wonderfully troubling then we could have imagined being able to tolerate when we were young. --James Hollis God comes to you disguised as your life. --Paula D'Arcy

The Splendor Before the Dark
The Splendor Before the Dark

Author: Margaret George

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2018-11-06

Total Pages: 594

ISBN-13: 0399584633

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Nero’s ascent to the throne was only the beginning....Now Margaret George, the author of The Confessions of Young Nero, weaves a web of politics and passion, as ancient Rome’s most infamous emperor cements his place in history. With the beautiful and cunning Poppaea at his side, Nero commands the Roman empire, ushering in an unprecedented era of artistic and cultural splendor. Although he has yet to produce an heir, his power is unquestioned. But in the tenth year of his reign, a terrifying prophecy comes to pass and a fire engulfs Rome, reducing entire swaths of the city to rubble. Rumors of Nero’s complicity in the blaze start to sow unrest among the populace—and the politicians.... For better or worse, Nero knows that his fate is now tied to Rome’s—and he vows to rebuild it as a city that will stun the world. But there are those who find his rampant quest for glory dangerous. Throughout the empire, false friends and spies conspire against him, not understanding what drives him to undertake the impossible. Nero will either survive and be the first in his family to escape the web of betrayals that is the Roman court, or be ensnared and remembered as the last radiance of the greatest dynasty the world has ever known. “A resplendent novel filled with the gilt and marble of the ancient world.”—C. W. Gortner, author of The Romanov Empress

Dark Splendor
Dark Splendor

Author: Andrea Parnell

Publisher: Scarborough, Ont. : New American Library of Canada

Published: 1986

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 9780451144829

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The Confessions of Young Nero
The Confessions of Young Nero

Author: Margaret George

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2017-03-07

Total Pages: 530

ISBN-13: 0698184769

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The New York Times bestselling and legendary author of Helen of Troy and Elizabeth I now turns her gaze on Emperor Nero, one of the most notorious and misunderstood figures in history. Built on the backs of those who fell before it, Julius Caesar’s imperial dynasty is only as strong as the next person who seeks to control it. In the Roman Empire no one is safe from the sting of betrayal: man, woman—or child. As a boy, Nero’s royal heritage becomes a threat to his very life, first when the mad emperor Caligula tries to drown him, then when his great aunt attempts to secure her own son’s inheritance. Faced with shocking acts of treachery, young Nero is dealt a harsh lesson: it is better to be cruel than dead. While Nero idealizes the artistic and athletic principles of Greece, his very survival rests on his ability to navigate the sea of vipers that is Rome. The most lethal of all is his own mother, a cold-blooded woman whose singular goal is to control the empire. With cunning and poison, the obstacles fall one by one. But as Agrippina’s machinations earn her son a title he is both tempted and terrified to assume, Nero’s determination to escape her thrall will shape him into the man he was fated to become—an Emperor who became legendary. With impeccable research and captivating prose, The Confessions of Young Nero is the story of a boy’s ruthless ascension to the throne. Detailing his journey from innocent youth to infamous ruler, it is an epic tale of the lengths to which man will go in the ultimate quest for power and survival.

Deep Splendor
Deep Splendor

Author: Robert P. Vande Kappelle

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2021-12-02

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 1666736317

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People concerned with spirituality are seekers; instead of possessing truth, they seek to be possessed by it. Thus, a fully spiritual person is forever learning and growing. William Blake, the seminal mystic poet who worked to bring about change both in the social order and in common ways of thinking, taught that “all we need to do is cleanse the doors of perception, and we shall see things as they are—infinite.” And nothing cleanses—and enlarges—the doors of perception like great literature. Whether it be poetry, a short story, a novel, historical fiction, fantasy literature, or biographical writing, the literary experience is slightly beyond a reader’s horizon of understanding. When literature enhances spirituality—as is true of the dozen or more selections examined in Deep Splendor—each literary moment confounds in order to keep us forever enthralled, forever longing. The authors and works examined in this study explore timeless spiritual themes such as coming of age, relationships, self-integration, the struggle of good versus evil, the nature of change, and the corruptive aspects of power. When we think about great literature, it is easy to focus objectively on the literature itself, on what makes literature “bad” or “good.” However, another essential distinction involves the reader, replacing the category “good book” with that of “good reader.” As master teacher C. S. Lewis wrote, a quality of good readers is that they seek an enlargement of their being. Deep Splendor will teach you how to read great literature and how to be a good reader.

Splendour in the Dark
Splendour in the Dark

Author: Jerry Root

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2020-11-03

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 0830853758

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Several years before he converted to Christianity, C. S. Lewis published a narrative poem, Dymer, which not only sheds light on the development of his literary skills but also offers a glimpse of his intellectual and spiritual growth. Including the complete annotated text of Lewis's poem, this volume helps us understand both Lewis's change of mind and our own journeys of faith.

Wild Splendor
Wild Splendor

Author: Cassie Edwards

Publisher: Zebra Books

Published: 2016-07-26

Total Pages: 329

ISBN-13: 1420136836

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From New York Times-bestselling author comes a wildly passionate Western tale of two lovers as destined to be together as they are forbidden . . . A hothouse flower in the parched, rugged desert of the Arizona Territory, beautiful, headstrong Leonida Branson isn't about to waste her youth in a duty-bound marriage to a pompous general. And her resolve only strengthens when she sees Sage, the fierce Navaho chieftain her fiancé has sworn to crush. For the comforts of civilization are no match for the adventurous passion the handsome warrior awakens in her. Each time Sage catches sight of Leonida's porcelain beauty, his dark eyes smolder with forbidden heat. Nothing has prepared him for the feelings that suddenly rage within him . . . or for his overwhelming desire to sweep this exquisite woman into his powerful embrace, to teach her the ancient ways of his people . . . and the timeless ways of love. Praise for Cassie Edwards “Breathtaking . . . Cassie Edwards is one of the leading writers of historical Native American romance.” —Fresh Fiction “Cassie Edwards captivates with white hot adventure and romance.” —Karen Harper “A sensitive storyteller who always touches readers' hearts.” —RT Book Reviews “Edwards moves readers with love and compassion.” —Bell, Book & Candle

The Black God's War
The Black God's War

Author: Moses Siregar Iii

Publisher: Cup of Gold

Published: 2011-08-01

Total Pages: 386

ISBN-13: 9781614758594

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"Moses is a fine writer deserving of success, and I think that it will follow ... Personally, I really enjoyed Moses's work." -David Farland, NYT Bestselling Author of The Runelords "The Black God's War is, to date, the finest example of quality independent fantasy I've seen."--IndieFantasyReview "An inventive tale with high command of craft." -Scott Nicholson, Bestselling Kindle Author of The Red Church ________ Against the backdrop of epic warfare and the powers of ten mysterious gods, Lucia struggles to understand The Black One. Her father-king wants war. Her messianic brother wants peace. The black god wants his due. She suffers all the consequences. King Vieri is losing his war against the lands of Pawelon. Feeling abandoned by his god, he forces his son Caio, the kingdom's holy savior, to lead his army. Victory ought to come soon. To counter Caio's powers, Pawelon's prince enters the conflict. Rao is a gifted sage, a master of spiritual laws. He joins the rajah to defend their citadel against the invaders. But Rao's ideals soon clash with his army's general. The Black One tortures Lucia nightly with visions promising another ten years of bloodshed. She can no longer tell the difference between the waking world and her nightmares. Lucia knows the black god too well. He entered her bed and dreams when she was ten. The Black One watches, waiting to see Lucia confront an impossible decision over the fates of two men-and two lands. ________ "The writing is tight, the characters well-drawn and deep, and the world feels alive and many-layered." -W. Brondtkamffer's Blog "Siregar's prose is smooth and he has his sense of pacing nailed down ... More like this, please." -Signal dot Noise blog "If you want to read a talented new author with a flair for storytelling, you should definitely pick up this story." -Debra L. Martin's Review, Two Ends of the Pen Blog ..". excellent storytelling in this debut, a tale spun with a degree of elegance I did not fully." -Ron C. Nieto's Blog "Siregar's strongest suit may be the character development on display, as the royal siblings and a few other characters exude their personalities and frailties in a believable fashion." -Skull Salad Reviews "'The Black God's War' has all the right ingredients ... His characters are as passionate as his descriptive prose. The pacing is perfect ... This is a work epic fantasy fans don't want to miss." -Bryan Thomas Schmidt's blog

Deeper Splendor
Deeper Splendor

Author: Robert P. Vande Kappelle

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2022-03-03

Total Pages: 186

ISBN-13: 1666797979

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Life's ultimate adventure--its grandest game and greatest challenge--is the spiritual transformation of the self. According to Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, personality and spirituality are interrelated, spirituality flowing out of individuality. Noting that people differ in fundamental ways, even though they possess the same instincts to drive them from within, Jung discovered that preference, rather than instinct, upbringing, environment, or genetic conditioning, is central to personality. The task of spirituality, then, is not to help us achieve correct doctrine or attain saintly status, but rather to help us best understand our humanity. This endeavor drives Deeper Splendor, a study of spirituality and personality in modern literature. We focus on modern literature, rather than on theology, philosophy, psychology, or sociology, because, as this volume makes clear, one of the best resources for studying transformative spirituality is great literature. The great power of literature is that it speaks of human action and thought, not in the dry, matter-of-fact terms of history, ethics, psychology, or some other science, but in ways that are lively, uplifting, and productive. Engaging with great literature is like beginning a love affair. Such encounters may appear daunting at first, but when you fall in love, you want to know everything about the object of your love, and every encounter leaves you wanting more. When literature enhances spirituality--as is true in the dozen or more selections examined in Deeper Splendor--each literary moment renders us more fully alive. Like its companion texts, Wading in Water and Deep Splendor, this volume is useful for individual or group study. Each chapter concludes with questions suitable for discussion or reflection.

Dymer
Dymer

Author: Clive Staples Lewis

Publisher:

Published: 1926

Total Pages: 130

ISBN-13:

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