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First published in 1924, this classic four-volume work contains various Greek and Latin writings of religious or philosophic teachings ascribed to Hermes Trismegistus, with Walter Scott''s extensive notes, commentary, and addenda. It is said that these teachings are records of private, intimate talks between a teacher and one or two of his disciples. The setting was in Egypt under the Roman Empire, among men who had received some instruction in Greek philosophy, and especially the Platonism of the period, but were not content with merely accepting and repeating the dogmas of the orthodox philosophic religion that would better satisfy their needs. Included here are the translator''s notes on the twenty-eight libelli of the Corpus Hermeticum. Volumes I, III, and IV of Hermetica, which contain Scott''s translation, his notes on the Latin Asclepius and the Hermetic excerpts of Stobaeus, and testimonia, addenda, and indices, are also published by Shambhala.

In his introduction to The Well of Remembrance, author Ralph Metzner provides a telling explanation of the theme of his work: "This book explores some of the mythic roots of the Western worldview, the worldview of the culture that, for better and worse, has come to dominate most of the rest of the world''s peoples. This domination has involved not only economic and political systems but also values, basic attitudes, religious beliefs, language, scientific understanding, and technological applications. Many individuals, tribes, and nations are struggling to free themselves from the residues of the ideological oppression practiced by what they see as Eurocentric culture. They seek to define their own ethnic or national identities by referring to ancestral traditions and mythic patterns of knowledge. At this time, it seems appropriate for Europeans and Euro-Americans likewise to probe their own ancestral mythology for insight and self-understanding." Focusing on the mythology and worldview of the pre-Christian Germanic tribes of Northern Europe, Metzner offers a meaningful exploration of Western ancestry.

Acclaimed as one of the best works available on feminine psychology from the time it first appeared in 1933, The Way of All Women discusses topics such as work, marriage, motherhood, old age, and women''s relationships with family, friends, and lovers. Dr. Harding, who was best known for her work with women and families, stresses the need for a woman to work toward her own wholeness and develop the many sides of her nature, and emphasizes the importance of unconscious processes.

King Gesar, renowned throughout Tibet and Central Asia, represents the ideal warrior—the principle of all-victorious confidence. As the central force of sanity, he conquers all his enemies, the evil forces of the four directions, who turn people''s minds away from the true teachings of Buddhism. These enemies graphically represent the different manifestations of cowardly mind. As Chögyam Trungpa explains in the Foreword: "When we talk here about conquering our enemy, it is important to understand that we are not talking about aggression. The genuine warrior does not become resentful or arrogant . . . It is absolutely necessary for the warrior to subjugate his own ambition to conquer at the same time that he is subjugating his other more obvious enemies. Thus the idea of warriorship altogether is that by facing all our enemies fearlessly, with gentleness and intelligence, we can develop ourselves thereby attaining self-realization." The legends of Gesar usually take weeks for a bard to recount. Filled with magic, adventure, and the triumphs of this great warrior-king, the stories will delight all—young and old alike.

In twelve essays—eight of which appear here in English for the first time—the internationally known analyst Marie-Louise von Franz explores important aspects of psychotherapy from a Jungian perspective. She draws on her many years of practical experience in psychotherapy, her intimate knowledge of Jung''s methods and theories, and her wide-ranging interests in fields such as mythology, alchemy, science, and religion to illumine these varied topics:    •  Projection   •  Transference   •  Dream interpretation    •  Self-realization   •  Group psychology    •  Personality types    •  Active imagination    •  The therapeutic use of hallucinogenic drugs    •  The choice of psychotherapy as a profession    •  The role of religious experience in psychological healing

How can a modern relationship possibly survive? By looking to the past, for the age-old mythic traditions of the world provide all the advice we need about love, according to Michael Gurian. And the wisdom they offer is strikingly similar across cultures: a relationship must ultimately look beyond itself and be consciously accepted as a spiritual path. Gurian has drawn on a range of spiritual and mythic traditions to create the new model for relationship that he presents in his popular workshops. This model, called the "Lover''s Journey," consists of four distinct "seasons":    1.  The Season of Enchantment: the springtime of falling in love    2.  The Season of Awakening: the summertime, when the euphoria of romance is past and we learn independent co-existence    3.  The Season of Partnership: the autumn of maturity, when the fruits of our joint efforts can be enjoyed    4.  The Season of Nonattachment: the winter of companionship, quietude, and the letting-go of old age

"Today there is much discussion of the liberation of women," writes Marie-Louise von Franz, "but it is sometimes overlooked that this can only succeed if there is a change in men as well. Just as women have to overcome the patriarchal tyrant in their own souls, men have to liberate and differentiate their inner femininity. Only then will a better relationship of the sexes be possible." It is this timely theme that Dr. von Franz explores in her psychological study of a classic work of the second century, The Golden Ass by Apuleius of Madaura. The novel recounts the adventures of a young Roman who is transformed into an ass and eventually finds spiritual renewal through initiation into the Isis mysteries. With its many tales within a tale (including the celebrated story of Psyche and Eros), the text as interpreted by Dr. von Franz is a rich source of insights, anecdotes, and scholarly amplification.

Here is a unique contribution to the field of poetry: a new collection of works by America''s foremost Buddhist meditation master, Chögyam Trungpa. These poems and songs—most of which were written since his arrival in the United States in 1970—combine a background in classical Tibetan poetry with Trungpa''s intuitive insight into the spirit of America, a spirit that is powerfully evoked in his use of colloquial metaphor and contemporary imagery. Most of the poems were originally written in English—clearly the result of the author''s own perceptions of new forms and media offered to him by a different culture. Each poem has its own insight and power, which come from a skillful blend of traditional Asian subtlety and precision combined with a thoroughly modern vernacular. Several of the author''s calligraphies accompany the collection.

They came from around the world: from parliaments, senates, and assemblies; from temples, churches, and mosques; from laboratories, universities, and boardrooms. It was the first time that spiritual and parliamentary leaders had come together with scientific experts to confront the threats of environmental crisis, nuclear war, famine, and disease. After five days of dialogue and contemplation the participants pledged to join forces to care for and protect the Earth with all its interdependent forms of life. This unprecedented meeting—the Global Survival Conference held at Oxford in April 1988—is re-created here in a compelling eyewitness account that offers hope for the future of our planet.

Beneath a Single Moon is an extraordinary collection of the work of forty-five contemporary American poets—with over 250 poems and thirty essays on the influence of spiritual practice on the practice of poetry. Included are works by John Cage, Diane di Prima, Allen Ginsberg, Jane Hirshfield, Andrew Schelling, Gary Snyder, Anne Waldman, and others.

This collection of essays and lectures by D. T. Suzuki (1870–1966) covers a wide range, from Mahayana Buddhism generally and the Zen school in particular, to Japanese art and culture, to the relationship between Zen Buddhism and Western psychology. Suzuki, whose work has had a profound and lasting influence, communicates his insights clearly and energetically. The clarity of his presentation makes The Awakening of Zen a book for novice and scholar alike.

Drawn from the records of Chinese Zen masters of the Tang and Song dynasties, this collection may surprise some readers. In contrast to the popular image of Zen as an authoritarian, monastic tradition deeply rooted in Asian culture, these passages portray Zen as remarkably flexible, adaptive to contemporary and individual needs, and transcending cultural boundaries. The readings contained in Zen Essence emphasize that the practice of Zen requires consciousness alone and does not depend on a background in Zen Buddhism and Asian culture. The true essence of Zen resides in the relationship between mind and culture, whatever that culture might be. This unique collection of writings creates a picture of Zen not as a religion or philosophy, but as a practical science of freedom.

When the Peace Corps sends Susana Herrera to teach English in Northern Cameroon, she yearns to embrace her adopted village and its people, to drink deep from the spirit of Mother Africa—and to forget a bitter childhood and painful past. To the villagers, however, she''s a rich American tourist, a nasara (white person) who has never known pain or want. They stare at her in silence. The children giggle and run away. At first her only confidant is a miraculously communicative lizard. Susana fights back with every ounce of heart and humor she possesses, and slowly begins to make a difference. She ventures out to the village well and learns to carry water on her head. In a classroom crowded to suffocation she finds a way to discipline her students without resorting to the beatings they are used to. She makes ice cream in the scorching heat, and learns how to plant millet and kill chickens. She laughs with the villagers, cries with them, works and prays with them, heals and is helped by them. Village life is hard but magical. Poverty is rampant—yet people sing and share what little they have. The termites that chew up her bed like morning cereal are fried and eaten in their turn ("bite-sized and crunchy like Doritos"). Nobody knows what tomorrow may bring, but even the morning greetings impart a purer sense of being in the moment. Gradually, Susana and the village become part of each other. They will never be the same again.

Ayya Khema (1923-1997) was the first Western woman to become a Theravadan Buddhist nun. As such, she has served as a model and inspiration for women from all the Buddhist traditions who have sought to revive the practice of women''s monasticism in modern times. Though her renown as a teacher is widespread, few know the truly amazing details of her life before her monastic ordination at the age of fifty-eight. And what a life it was. Born Ilse Kussel in Berlin, Germany, she grew up in a prosperous Jewish family that was broken up by Nazi terror in 1938. The story of her escape alone to Scotland, and her journey to rejoin her family in China, would be enough for a thrilling adventure novel in itself—but it is only the beginning of the story. Her later adventures included—but were not limited to—surviving the Japanese invasion of China; living the life of a suburban housewife in Los Angeles, California; journeying up the Amazon; studying in a Bolivian university; building a power plant in Pakistan; and establishing the first organic farm in Australia. Her Buddhist practice was a result of a pursuit of the spiritual life that began in her forties when she encountered spiritual teachers in India. She eventually founded a monastery in Sri Lanka, from where, through her books and her teaching travels, she became one of the most widely respected of contemporary teachers, particularly skilled in interpreting the Buddhist teachings for her fellow Westerners.

The story of the founder of Buddhism is one of the world's great archetypal tales of spiritual awakening. He was born Siddhartha Gautama in the sixth century BCE, the son of a prince who ruled a small kingdom in what is now Nepal. Siddhartha led a sheltered existence until the age of twenty-nine, when he left his life of ease and set out to find a solution to the problem of suffering. For years he wandered as a homeless ascetic, practicing severe austerities that brought him to the brink of death but no nearer to his goal. He then abandoned asceticism for a "middle way." Sitting down under a tree, he vowed to remain there until he realized the truth. After a night of deep meditation, his Enlightenment came at dawn, and he was thereafter known as the Buddha, the "Awakened One."

Rumi's short poems have many tones and effects: some of them are quick, joyful, and whimsical; some are finely faceted abstract statements; some probe the inward space of patience and longing. Moyne and Barks translated these poems using a free-verse style, connecting these poems with great American spiritual poets such as Walt Whitman and Gary Snyder.

     The Prajnaparamita ("perfection of wisdom") sutras are one of the great legacies of Mahayana Buddhism, giving eloquent expression to some of that school''s central concerns: the perception of shunyata, the essential emptiness of all phenomena; and the ideal of the bodhisattva, one who postpones his or her own enlightenment in order to work for the salvation of all beings.            The Prajnaparamita literature consists of a number of texts composed in Buddhist India between 100 BCE and 100 CE. Originally written in Sanskrit, but surviving today mostly in their Chinese versions, the texts are concerned with the experience of profound insight that cannot be conveyed by concepts or in intellectual terms. The material remains important today in Mahayana Buddhism and Zen.            Key selections from the Prajnaparamita literature are presented here, along with Thomas Cleary''s illuminating commentary, as a means of demonstrating the intrinsic limitations of discursive thought, and of pointing to the profound wisdom that lies beyond it.            Included selections from:    •  The Scripture on Perfect Insight Awakening to Essence    •  The Essentials of the Great Scripture on Perfect Insight    •  Treatise on the Great Scripture on Perfect Insight    •  The Scripture on Perfect Insight for Benevolent Rulers    •  Key Teachings on the Great Scripture of Perfect Insight    •  The Questions of Suvikrantavikramin

Masters of Meditation and Miracles presents colorful biographies of thirty-five realized teachers whose lives were full of peace, enlightenment, and amazing miracles. They flourished in Tibet, the Roof of the World, in its golden days. These teachers belong to the Longchen Nyingthig lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, a cycle of mystical teachings revealed by the great scholar and adept Jigme Lingpa. From the first master, Garap Dorje, to the present, each spiritual personality has his or her own distinctive role to play in this great lineage. In retelling their stories in his own words, the author has sought to bring out their inner feelings as well as their external activities: how they faced and healed physical pain, how they dealt with emotional turmoil, how they overcame spiritual or meditative illusions, and most important, what experiences they had when they awakened their own inner Buddha Mind and Buddha qualities. These biographies not only provide great sources of teachings on meditation, but will also kindle a spiritual flame in the hearts of readers.

This practical commentary on one of the most important scriptures of the Pali canon will provide essential sustenance for Buddhist practitioners. Ayya Khema is a mountain of strength, encouragement, and tough love as she pours out down-to-earth practical instruction on the journey to enlightenment, following the framework set forth in the Samannaphala-sutta, the Buddha's discourse on the rewards of spiritual life. The sutta-included here in the translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi-contains the Buddha's teachings in response to questions posed by King Ajatasattu. Why, the king asked, should we give up the satisfactions of worldly life and devote ourselves to meditation? What are the tangible benefits to be gained from following the Buddha's way? In answering this question, the Buddha provides a compact synopsis of the entirety of the spiritual path, and Ayya Khema expands on this with her characteristic approach-simple, direct, experiential, and loving. An important aspect of the sutta is an account of the eight meditative absorptions, or jhanas-states of mind that bring joy, serenity, and peace and that open the way to clarity and liberation. Ayya Khema, who was herself adept at the eight absorptions, confidently leads the reader to, through, and beyond the jhanas, following the Buddha's plan. Her words have the effect of inspiring us to roll up our sleeves and get to work so that we may grasp the insights, accomplish the meditative goals, and become enlightened to the highest extent of our talents and efforts.

This book celebrates the flowering of women in American Buddhism. Lenore Friedman set out to explore this phenomenon by interviewing some of the remarkable women who were teaching Buddhism in the United States. The seventeen women she writes about vary in background, personality, and form of teaching. Together the represent the growing presence and influence of women teachers in America—a development that will surely affect Buddhism in the West for years to come. This revised edition includes a new section describing developments in these women''s lives and work since the book''s first publication in 1987. Teachers include:Toni Packer, Maurine Stuart, Pema Chödrön, Joko Beck, Ruth Denison, Bobby Rhodes, Jiyu Kennett, Sharon Salzberg, Karuna Dharma, Joanna Macy, Gesshin Prabhasa Dharma, Sonja Margulies, Yvonne Rand, Jacqueline Mandell, Colleen Schmitz, Ayya Khema, Tsering Everest

"My parent needs help, but refuses to consider a nursing home." That''s the dilemma facing millions of baby boomers today. How can we ensure responsible, compassionate, even uplifting care for our aging parents at home? Mindfulness is key, Ann Cason writes. Good care begins with watching and listening, with entering the elder''s world and accepting it. Drawing on decades of experience in caring for the elderly, Cason helps us understand how old age feels and how we can help. Then, through exercises, care studies, and numerous examples and suggestions, Circles of Care shows how to:    •  Work out a plan of care    •  Assemble and foster a caregiving team    •  Create an uplifting daily routine—and vary it creatively    •  Plan nutrition, medical needs, finances, and outings    •  Improve the elder''s personal care and physical environment    •  Ease conflicts between elders and their caregivers or families    •  Avoid caregiver burnout    •  Work with mood swings, confusion, and memory loss

Chögyam Trungpa wrote more than two dozen books on Buddhism and the Shambhala path of warriorship. The Essential Chögyam Trungpa blends excerpts from bestsellers like Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, Meditation in Action, and other titles into a concise overview of Trungpa''s teachings. Forty selections from fourteen different books articulate the secular path of the Shambhala warrior as well as the Buddhist path of meditation and awakening. This "new classic" vividly demonstrates Trungpa''s great appreciation of Western culture which, combined with his deep understanding of the Tibetan tradition, makes these teachings uniquely accessible to contemporary readers. It will appeal to beginning students of meditation as well as seasoned readers of Eastern religion.

     The Chuang Tzu has been translated into English numerous times, but never with the freshness, accessibility, and accuracy of this remarkable rendering. Here the immediacy of Chuang Tzu''s language is restored in a idiom that is both completely fresh and true to the original text. This unique collaboration between one of America''s premier poet-translators and a leading Chinese scholar presents the so-called "Inner Chapters" of the text, along with important selections from other chapters thought to have been written by Chuang Tzu''s disciples.

Shin is the uniquely Japanese flowering of the type of Buddhism known as "Pure Land." It originated in the thirteenth century with the charismatic and prophetic figure Shinran (1172–1263), whose interpretation of the traditional Pure Land teachings was extremely influential in his own lifetime and remain so today. In a period when Japanese Buddhism was dominated by an elitist monastic establishment, Shinran''s Shin teaching became a way of liberation for all people, regardless of age, class, or gender. Although Shin is one of Japan''s greatest religious contributions—and is still the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in Japan—it remains little known in the West. In this book, based on several lectures he gave in the 1950s, D. T. Suzuki illuminates the deep meaning of Shin and its rich archetypal imagery, providing a scholarly and affectionate introduction to this sometimes misunderstood tradition of Buddhist practice.

In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, devotion to one''s guru or spiritual master is considered to be of the utmost importance in spiritual practice. The instructions of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, based upon the teachings of the great eighteenth-century saint and visionary Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, focus on the devotional practices of Guru Yoga, "Merging with the Mind of the Guru."

Unlike most t''ai chi books, which focus strictly on how to do the t''ai chi forms, T''ai Chi as a Path of Wisdom presents a personal, practical view of this intriguing martial art. Lehrhaupt shares illuminating stories from her own life and the lives of her students that show how t''ai chi can be a vehicle for profound self-discovery and spiritual growth. In learning to master each body posture, t''ai chi students often confront self-doubt, frustration, and the desire to compete and compare themselves to others—problems that also arise in daily life. Lehrhaupt shows how these and other obstacles provide valuable opportunities to deepen awareness and recognize the striking continuities between practice and everyday life. Each section of the book includes practical exercises designed to enhance students'' understanding of t''ai chi movements, and a helpful appendix answers many frequently asked questions about t''ai chi training such as how to find a teacher and how to balance practice with family life. Full of useful insights and guidance, T''ai Chi as a Path of Wisdom will be a valuable companion for all students of this increasingly popular martial art.

"It''s important to embrace parenting with all your might," writes Lucia Capacchione, "in order to reap the deepest rewards available to you." But with so many theories, methods, and opinions about raising children, how can we find our own way of parenting? Her answer: By accessing the inherent wisdom and guidance within ourselves to find out what we really value, what dreams and aspirations we hold, what our individual parenting styles are. The Creative Journal for Parents shows us how. Capacchione''s book applies her popular creative journaling method of self-discovery to every stage of parenting: preparation, birth or adoption, early childhood, and all the way through the teenage years. Using journal writing and drawing—including her pioneering use of the non-dominant hand to access intuitive, breakthrough, right brain thinking—she takes us through simple, enjoyable exercises like "Wanted: My Kind of Parent" and "The Inner Child Answers Back." Parents and prospective parents alike will learn to get in touch with true feelings and needs, articulate core beliefs and values, learn to reframe negative experiences, and celebrate their relationships—present and future—with their children.

Invincible Warrior tells the fascinating story of the life of Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), whose quest for the true meaning of warriorship lead to the creation of the martial art called Aikido, "The Art of Peace." Ueshiba—whose name means "abundant peace"—is considered by many to be one of the greatest martial artists who ever lived. His documented ability to disarm any attacker, throw a dozen men simultaneously, and down and pin opponents without touching them has accorded his life legendary status. Invincible Warrior presents the real story behind Morihei''s achievement, illuminating the man and his message. Stevens describes the people, events, and ideas that influenced Ueshiba''s lifelong spiritual quest, which culminated in the development of unique teachings of Aikido. Illustrated with two hundred photographs of Morihei in action and filled with revealing anecdotes about his life and times, Invincible Warrior also offers valuable discussion of the Founder''s conception of Aikido as a path of harmony and love, unifying body and mind, self and others, humans and the universe.

Taoist teachings have arisen in many forms: abstract aphorisms, philosophical discussions, legends, fables—even jokes. All are represented here, culled from the most popular Taoist classics: the Tao-te Ching, Chuang-tzu, Huai-nan-tzu, and Wen-tzu, stories from the "Tales of Inner Meaning," and teachings of the Taoist patriarch Ancestor Lu. The spirit of the Tao manifests in myriad images, brought to life in this superb translation—from the ever-keen blade of a Taoist butcher to the mechanical miracles of inventor Ken Shiwa, from little boys baiting the great Confucius to mountain hermits disappearing in the mist, from the six robber organs that obscure the primordial to the ineffable mystery of mysteries.

Jewish mystical writings from ancient times to the present are collected here under such headings as Nature, Creation, Daily Life, Good and Evil, Female Divinity, Meditation, and Ecstasy. The words of these spiritual masters—from sources such as the Zohar, the Baal Shem Tov, Martin Buber, Rabbi Nachman, of Bratzlav, Abraham Abulafia, and Aryeh Kaplan—offer a lively introduction to their joyful world.