Weaving Back the Thread is about inherent dignity of every human person. It is about self-integrity through authentic living; about your journey home to yourself. It is about the crossing of boundaries of self limitations and those of ossified conventions. It is about growth, existential meaning and saying "Yes" to life. "Touching on many subjects, from a distaste for the nihilism prevalent in postmodern thought to the ways in which we can enhance our modern lifestyles, Alex Bliss's Weaving Back the Thread is a timely salve for the soul."-International Student Magazine, Ireland

For the Yaka of Southwestern Zaire, infertility is a tear in the fabric of life, and the Khita fertility ritual is a trusted way of reweaving the damaged strands. In Weaving the Threads of Life Rene Devisch offers an extended analysis of the Khita cult, which leads to an original account of the workings of ritual healing. Drawing on many years among urban and rural Yaka, Devisch analyzes their understanding of existence as a fabric of firmly but delicately interwoven threads of nature, body, and society. The fertility healing ritual calls forth forces, feelings, and meanings that allow women to rejoin themselves to the complex pattern of social and cosmic life. These elaborate rites—whether simulating mortal agony and rebirth, gestation and delivery, or flowering and decay; using music and dance, steambath or massage, dream messages or scarification—are not based on symbols of traditional beliefs. Rather, Devisch shows, the rites themselves generate forces and meaning, creating and shaping the cosmic, physical, and social world of their participants. In contrast to current theoretical methods such as postmodern or symbolical interpretation, Devisch's praxiological approach is unique in also using phenomenological insights into the intent and results of anthropological fieldwork. This innovative work will have ramifications beyond African studies, reaching into the anthropology of medicine and the body, comparative religious history, and women's studies.

In the busyness of our modern lifestyle, it is difficult to see and experience God in our lives. Unless we stop and listen, it is hard to hear what God wishes to reveal to our hearts. In publishing this book, Fr. Brendan offers us not only a challenge but an invitation. An invitation to take a break, to find some quiet time to be with the Lord. It is there, in the quiet of God’s presence that we will find rest for our souls. The book is comprised of a series of homilies. Each one of the homilies was delivered in Fr. Brendan’s parish. Each one emphasizes the presence of God in the daily events of our lives. He challenges us to step back from the busyness of the modern world and all its distractions and focus on the Word of God. Many of the homilies tell a story of a day-to-day life. Fr. Brendan then connects that story of ordinary life to the story of God acting in our own lives. When we step back and reflect on the presence of God in our lives, we see that God is not only present but that he has woven a fabric – a fabric rich in grace, telling the divine the story that is deep within each of us.

Narrow bands woven in colorful patterns are a centuries-old part of Baltic craft tradition. The double slotted heddle makes patterned band weaving quicker to learn and easier to do, and this is the first book that offers beginners instructions for using it. The craft doesn't involve bulky equipment--all you need can be stored in a shoe box! Learn how to weave these beautiful bands step by step, from the simple 5 pattern threads to the more complex 7 and 9 patterns. Color photographs illustrate the instructions for learning to weave. More than 140 patterns are included, along with principles for planning your own unique designs for contemporary uses such as straps, belts, bracelets, and even handfasting bands. The breathtaking range of colorful bands woven in Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Norway are explored and offer additional inspiration.

Do you feel trapped in your own skin? Are you longing to break free and show up as your authentic, whole self? Do you crave a sacred connection with your body, your wild soul, and your community? You aren't the only one longing to be free and embodied, and author and Red Tent guide Aj Smit is here to help. With witty humor and charming honesty, Aj helps you navigate thirteen key areas of life like cycles, vulnerability, boundaries, and even what it means to be soul wild. For years, Aj has held virtual and in-person sacred spaces called Red Tents to encourage women to meet their truth, share their stories, and uncover the songs of their souls. Now, you are invited into the Red Tent. With deep-diving questions, meditations, activities, and stories, Red Thread is your guide to: * Lean into your life giving cycles and ancient feminine wisdom. *Cultivate meaningful relationships and abundant creativity. * Learn to deeply trust your Intuition and Inner Voice. *BONUS: Red Thread also includes 13 ready-to-use scripts to help you create personal or communal Red Tents to cultivate the skills discussed in each chapter. Red Thread will empower you, and the women you love, to have the hard and brave conversations which will change the patterns and stories we pass down to future generations. Let's weave a life of joy, together in the Red Tent.

Illustrated guide for step-by-step beginning and advanced weaving. 424 pages; over 600 illustrations; indexed

“An unforgettable story of female strength, hope and friendship. This collaborative work is magnificent—a true revelation!” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star “A brilliant story brimming with unexpected friendships and family ties. Historically sound and beautifully stitched, The Thread Collectors will stay with you long after the last page is turned.” —Sadeqa Johnson, international bestselling author of Yellow Wife 1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician. Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. Between abolitionist meetings, Lily rolls bandages and crafts quilts with her sewing circle for other soldiers, too, hoping for their safe return home. But when months go by without word from her husband, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him. As these two women risk everything for love and freedom during the brutal Civil War, their paths converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us. Loosely inspired by the authors' family histories, this stunning novel will stay with readers for a long time.

This memoir shines a light on the epidemic of physician burnout, depression and suicide, offering the author's journey of practicing medicine without losing heart and showing her medical students and residents how to do the same. As a doctor, mother and immigrant, Dr. Mukta Panda models how to thrive by creating community and self-awareness.

John Wieland is the first to admit his success is baffling. When an average joe turns a bankrupt company into a 30-branch business that now earns over $300 million in revenue and gives 10% of the company profits to ministries across the world, Wieland is the first to ask the question anyone who knows him is asking: how did that happen?His conclusion: business, family and faith affect each other in ways that few realize. Unlike many books that discuss faith, Wieland never preaches perfection. It's his honesty about his own struggles-between worship and human instinct, between sacrifice and indulgence, between sharing his love of God with others and appreciating people right where they are-that makes Uncommon Threads so unique. In it, Wieland uses the lens of his own life to tackle important topics such as hypocrisy, racism, abortion, parenting, religion and even what happens when you take someone into your home only to later find out that he shot a lady in the head and left her for dead.In the end, Wieland shows that family, business and faith are inescapably woven together and that the lessons you learn growing up can provide the values that serve you well throughout the rest of your life.His is the story of a life well-spent-thanks to its blending together of family, business and faith. The combination of self-deprecating tales of his foibles and touching moments of inspiration received from both his successes and failures make Uncommon Threads a must read.