Helen Plum Library

Avoiding the traps of sensational political exposes and specialized scholarly Orientalism, Carl Ernst introduces readers to the profound spiritual resources of Islam while clarifying diversity and debate within the tradition. Framing his argument in terms of religious studies, Ernst describes how Protestant definitions of religion and anti-Muslim prejudice have affected views of Islam in Europe and America. He also covers the contemporary importance...

In today's multicultural society, we are increasingly likely to meet and become friends with people from different religious backgrounds, and to find ourselves attending an unfamiliar ceremony. When this happens, there can be few of us who know exactly what to expect, or are confident about how to behave. This chapter from Do I Kneel or Do I Bow? will tell you everything you need to understand and take part in a Buddhist ceremony. Armed with this...

In the late afternoon sunlight, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is one of the most breathtaking places in the world. This was the site of King Solomon's great Temple, a "house of prayer for all people"-the center of worship and celebration. Now you can see what the Temple looked like more than 3,000 years ago. Rose Guide to the Temple is a full-color overview of the Temple, with more than 100 images, charts, diagrams, photos, and illustrations, many...

Meditation and Judaism is a comprehensive work on Jewish meditation, encompassing the entire spectrum of Jewish thought from the early Kabbalists to the modern Chassidic and Mussar masters, the sages of the Talmud, to the modern philosophers. Both a scholarly, in-depth study of meditative practices, and a practical, easy to follow guide, Meditation and Judaism is for anyone interested in meditating the Jewish way. The word meditation calls to mind...

Heal from the sense of separation that pervades human consciousness and awaken to the true oneness of all things. Many of our human existential struggles stem from the sense of disconnection, alienation and loneliness that comes from a fragmented view of reality. The typical concept of "self" creates a profound sense of isolation from other beings, leaving us feeling lost and hopeless. But the practice of mindfulness, combined with the teachings...

Singing the Goddess into Place examines Chamundi of the Hill, a collection of songs that tells the stories of the gods and goddesses of the region around the city of Mysore in southern Karnataka. The ballad actively transforms the region into a land where gods and goddesses live, embedding these deities within the social worlds of their devotees and remapping southern Karnataka into sacred geography connected through networks of devotion and pilgrimage....

Chakras are energy helms of light that actually receive, accomplish, regulate and emit energy. They always attach the emotional, physical and divine energy within you to the divine and higher-dimensional loveliness around you. From the view of spiritual and healing development, each chakra is a sole and a perfect reflection of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Like discrete and multifaceted computer disks, chakras include a wealth...

This book will help you to appreciate the wisdom of the world's oldest monotheistic religion; to understand what it means to be a Jew; to recognize the key Jewish festivals and the different aspects of Jewish practice and belief; to avoid faux pas in conversation, in travelling and in personal relationships. Judaism is the world's oldest monotheistic religion. While the number of its adherents has always been small, its principles and ethics have...

From Seed to Cedar is a guide for Muslim families by a prominent scholar of Islam. Gülen's approach to education of Muslim kids are grounded on authoritative sources of knowledge in Islam, that is, The Qur'an and the way of Prophet Muhammad, Sunna. He effectively combines these teachings with realities of life in modern times. The result is a comprehensive road map for a Muslim family that is committed and dedicated to the education of their kids...

Fully revised with a new author's preface, epilogue, and over a dozen new guided exercises, Anne Brener brings us an innovative integration of Jewish tradition and modern professional resources in this 25th anniversary edition of a modern classic. Mourning & Mitzvah gives spiritual insight and healing wisdom to those who mourn a death, to those who would help them, and to those who face a loss of any kind Mourning & Mitzvah teaches you the power and...