This book introduces the reader to thirteen Christian spiritual classics that illustrate the ordinary steps we can take toward living the Gospel life more fully. Drawing on the rich teaching of a particular saint or mystic, each chapter helps us grow in a different aspect of holiness, of intimacy with God. Archbishop Hughes offers an itinerary for becoming a good disciple of the Lord, giving the reader access to an impressive spiritual library that can support and strengthen progress in discipleship throughout one's life. Among the great saints and spiritual writers whose writings are included in this book are Augustine, Anthony of the Desert, Aelred, Teresa of Avila, Benedict, Guigo, Catherine of Siena, Walter Hilton, Francis de Sales, Ignatius of Loyola, Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Thomas à Kempis, and John of the Cross.

“A wonderfully significant and important book.” —Ken Wilber, The Integral Vision “A timely and penetrating analysis of spirituality’s shadow.” —Stephen Batchelor, Buddhism without Beliefs A spiritual teacher and integral psychotherapist offers a first-of-its-kind study on how we use—and abuse—spiritual beliefs and practices, revealing how to identify and move beyond what holds us back from living life fully. Spiritual bypassing—the use of spiritual beliefs to avoid dealing with painful feelings, unresolved wounds, and developmental needs—is so pervasive that it goes largely unnoticed. The spiritual ideals of any tradition, whether Christian commandments or Buddhist precepts, can provide easy justification for practitioners to duck uncomfortable feelings in favor of more seemingly enlightened activity. When split off from fundamental psychological needs, such actions often do much more harm than good. While other authors have touched on the subject, this is the first book fully devoted to spiritual bypassing. In the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa’s landmark Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, Spiritual Bypassing provides an in-depth look at the unresolved or ignored psychological issues often masked as spirituality, including self-judgment, excessive niceness, and emotional dissociation. A longtime psychotherapist with an engaging writing style, Masters furthers the body of psychological insight into how we use (and abuse) religion in often unconscious ways. This book will hold particular appeal for those who grew up with an unstructured new-age spirituality now looking for a more mature spiritual practice, and for anyone seeking increased self-awareness and a more robust relationship with themselves and others.

Originally part of a series of broadcasts made by the author prior to World War II, this small book was meant "to present some of the great truths concerning man’s spiritual life in simple language.” As one critic has noted, “Underhill has admirably and eloquently achieved her objective.” Evelyn Underhill was a prolific British writer on mysticism and spiritual growth. Her other books include The School of Charity and Abba.

"Through biographical reflections and selected writings, this anthology highlights the essential teachings of a dozen modern spiritual masters, each of whom embodied a form of engaged spirituality - attuned both to God and the needs of a wounded world. Each opposed a style of spirituality focused entirely on the inner life, while at the same lime stressing the importance of prayer and silence as the foundation for service and activism. Balancing contemplation and compassion, these figures - including some of the world's best-known spiritual writers - represent a model of spirituality sensitive to tradition as well as the challenges of our time."--BOOK JACKET.

This is the story of a young man who was contacted by discarnate spiritual beings who spoke to him through the medium of an ex-monk, some 36 years his senior. It concerns the spiritual training of the younger man given by these Masters, for that is what they were, and although the contact lasted for 21 years, from 1979-1999, the greater part of the book has to do with the first year when the process was at its most intense. Although originally intended for just one individual the training imparted is actually suitable for any spiritual seeker at any level, and there is discussion of many different aspects of the spiritual path as well as elucidation of occasionally controversial points such as the nature of the ego, the problem of evil, the place of sex in the spiritual life, the relevance of spiritual experiences and the function of teachers, all in a form that combines simplicity with depth.

Includes excerpts from "Seven storey mountain", "Conjectures of a guilty bystander" and many other works including a chronology of Merton's life.

In Saint Paul, Elliott C. Maloney explores what the great saint says about the spiritual life, the "how to" in the day-to-day activities and concerns of Christians. How should people live in covenant relationship with God, committed to seeking God's will in every aspect of their lives? Spirituality is a popular topic, but it is regarded as merely one part of life, some "higher level" of living when compared to ordinary living. Even Catholic scholarship, Maloney argues, notable as it is in Pauline exegesis and theology, seems to lack a feel for the overall kind of living that Paul wanted for his communities, not to mention how we might appropriate such wisdom for today. For Paul, all of a believer's life is spiritual life. The alternative is a life "according to the flesh," a self-centered life without God, a continual spiritual death. Based on over forty years of teaching and study of the Pauline letters, Maloney's Saint Paul offers a rich vision of Christianity and the spiritual life "in Christ."

Learn the secrets of the spiritual warrior with this martial arts book. Survival in life, whether it's combat or everyday living, demands that you press every advantage--and what could be better than knowing what an aggressor will do before he or she does it, or learning how to make wiser life choices in order to live harmoniously? In The Book of Six Rings, internationally-renowned psychic medium and martial artist Jock Brocas leads you through the process of sharpening your intuitive senses. By learning to listen to the voice within, you'll be able to avoid unseen dangers, discern hidden intent, follow natural intuition, and evade attacks while building the life that you are meant to lead--not one you are forced to lead. This guide is for martial artists and spiritual warriors of all types. With The Book of Six Rings you'll learn about: The link between budo and psychic abilities The importance of meditation in developing spiritual abilities How psychic development relates to martial arts practice Intuition-strengthening tests and exercises Real-life examples of the role of intuition in self-defense situations The Book of Six Rings is the perfect budo karate guide for those trying to survive life, whether it's combat or everyday living.

"The Masters of Wisdom" is the last book to have been published during the John Bennett's lifetime, and is probably the most unusual, having little in common with his previously published works, except in serving a number of discrete objectives. Originally planned to be incorporated into a single volume to be entitled "Gurdjieff and the Masters of Wisdom" this work was separated from what became "Gurdjieff: Making a New World" which eventually was published a year earlier in 1973. In the last years of Bennett's life, he had been deeply affected by his close association with the Turkish mystic, Hasan Lutfi Shushud, and originally a contract was drawn up with a London publishing house for the combined work, in which both men were signed as joint authors. However, before anything was written, Shushud abruptly withdrew his support for the project, ostensibly on the grounds of a disagreement with the publishers. Only after Bennett's death in 1974, Shushud indicated privately that he found Gurdjieff's teaching and methods offensive. There is however some overlap between the two books, and "The Masters of Wisdom" draws on Gurdjieff's resources as well as material provided by Hasan Shushud. "The Masters of Wisdom" is unlike Bennett's other books not only in the way it is constructed, which appears to be somewhat out of balance, but also in the content. The first three chapters provide an overview of material presented 8 years earlier in the fourth volume of "The Dramatic Universe", of the Earth as single intelligent whole, in which humanity plays an increasingly active role and - must accept greater responsibility. These chapters provide an introduction to Chapter 4 which presents an account of the Christ Event not to be found anywhere else, and by Bennett's own account, arising out of insights vouchsafed to him privately by Gurdjieff. The next chapter serves as a bridge to the second major detailed message Bennett shares, which concerns the extraordinary period spanning at least 350 years, when a group of men within a single unbroken tradition played a pivotal and benign role in otherwise catastrophic events. It is not clear why Bennett devotes an entire chapter to Genghis Khan in a book entitled "The Masters of Wisdom" except that he appears to have been an exceptionally gifted individual whom Bennett apparently admired for his great self-control, and his willingness to accept guidance from a spiritual director. The researches Bennett completed in his last years led him to certain conclusions which may not have been fully expressed in this account. Unlike Bennett's other books, "The Masters of Wisdom" contains hidden messages, and also occult elements which are accessible to those able to access them. "Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson" and "The Dramatic Universe" showed the transformative power of books, but like "Meetings with Remarkable Men" this book imparts information which remains hidden except from those readers who find the key. The book is also unlike any of Bennett's other books in containing secret "magic" elements, opening mystical channels. Since the text was left unfinished when Bennett died, it is not possible to know for certain whether the message of the book is complete or would have included other material such as the very detailed accounts that Bennett gave to his student in the last months - the "esoteric phase" - of the Third Basic Course. Overall the message is of the planet we inhabit seen as a single indivisible whole, of which we human beings are an important element, but which is subordinate to the Cosmic forces.

Inspirational stories of Swama Rama's experiences and lessons learned with the great teachers who guided his life including Mahatma Gandhi, Tagore, and more.