Praying with Jane Eyre

Praying with Jane Eyre PDF

Author: Vanessa Zoltan

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2022-07-05

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 0593538498

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“In these soaring, open-hearted essays, Vanessa Zoltan writes with fierce brilliance about suffering, survival, and the kind of meaning in life that can withstand real scrutiny.”—John Green, bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars and The Anthropocene Reviewed A deeply felt exploration of the ways our favorite books can shape and heal us, from the host of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. Our favorite reads keep us company, give us hope, and help us find meaning in a chaotic world. In this fresh and relatable work, atheist chaplain Vanessa Zoltan blends memoir and personal growth as she grapples with the notions of family legacy and identity through the lens of her favorite novel, Jane Eyre. Informed by her training at the Harvard Divinity School and filtered through the pages of Jane Eyre as well as Little Women, Harry Potter, and The Great Gatsby, Zoltan explores topics ranging from the trauma she has inherited as the granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors to finding hope, meaning, and even magic in our deeply fractured times. Brimming with a love of classic literature and the tenderness of self-reflection, the book also reveals simple techniques for reading any work as a sacred text--from Virginia Woolf to Anne of Green Gables to baseball scorecards. Whether you're an avowed "Eyrehead" or a voracious reader and pop culture fan, this deeply felt and inspiring book will light the way to a more intimate appreciation for whatever books you love to read.

Sacred Practices for Conscious Living

Sacred Practices for Conscious Living PDF

Author: Nancy J. Napier

Publisher: Hillcrest Publishing Group

Published: 2016-06

Total Pages: 365

ISBN-13: 0965819140

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Now, nearly two decades later, Napier is ready to share more of her own life story while returning to the subject she was first introduced to by her grandmother. As she comes again to the topic that pervades her life story, she focuses on several themes, including: - the importance of experiencing a sense of meaning in life; - the sacred nature of all beings and life itself; - the belief that everything is an essential part of the full expression of one life, both individually and collectively, and that we inherently draw from an underlying wholeness; - the power of what it means to be aware in the present moment; and, - the fact that suffering is part of everyday life, and we can learn to move through it. Napier explains that once we recognize our place within collective consciousness-- and focus on compassion and mindfulness--we can begin to experience more directly the interdependence and interconnection underlying our place in the universe.

Liturgy of the Ordinary

Liturgy of the Ordinary PDF

Author: Tish Harrison Warren

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2016-11-01

Total Pages: 189

ISBN-13: 0830892206

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Christianity Today Book of the Year In the overlooked moments and routines of our day, we can become aware of God's presence in surprising ways. How do we embrace the sacred in the ordinary and the ordinary in the sacred? Framed around one typical day, this book explores life through the lens of liturgy—small practices and habits that form us. In each chapter, Tish Harrison Warren considers a common daily experience—making the bed, brushing her teeth, losing her keys. Drawing from the diversity of her life as a campus minister, Anglican priest, friend, wife, and mother, Warren opens up a practical theology of the everyday. Each activity is related to a spiritual practice as well as an aspect of our Sunday worship. Come and discover the holiness of your every day.

Practicing the Sacred Art of Listening

Practicing the Sacred Art of Listening PDF

Author: Kay Lindahl

Publisher: Turner Publishing Company

Published: 2012-06-20

Total Pages: 220

ISBN-13: 1594734585

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Poor listening leads to misunderstandings and lost opportunities. Learning to listen well requires spiritual practice. It happens at work and at home, with strangers and close friends, in heated debates and in quiet conversations—you hear someone speaking, but often you don’t truly listen. Kay Lindahl’s highly respected workshops are attended by people from a broad range of backgrounds. Her first book, The Sacred Art of Listening, has been published to acclaim in North America, Europe, and Asia. Now she offers practical, easy-to-follow advice and exercises to enhance your capacity to listen in a spirit-filled way. Using examples from her own life and her work as a teacher of the sacred art of listening, Lindahl explores the nature and use of silence, reflection, and divine presence as foundational qualities of listening and shows you how you can apply these in your everyday life. This valuable workshop-in-a-book examines the varied ways we are called to deep listening, including: Contemplative listening Reflective listening Heart listening Listening in groups Listening in conversations ... and more You will find yourself inspired to discover how different your conversations will be when you stop just talking and start really listening.

Sacred Rhythms

Sacred Rhythms PDF

Author: Ruth Haley Barton

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2009-12-14

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 0830878297

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Logos Book Award Do you long for a deep, fundamental change in your life with God? Do you desire a greater intimacy with God? Do you wonder how you might truly live your life as God created you to live it? Spiritual disciplines are activities that open us to God's transforming love and the changes that only God can bring about in our lives. Picking up on the monastic tradition of creating a "rule of life" that allows for regular space for the practice of the spiritual disciplines, this book takes you more deeply into understanding seven key disciplines along with practical ideas for weaving them into everyday life. Each chapter includes exercises to help you begin the practices--individually and in a group context. The final chapter puts it all together in a way that will help you arrange your life for spiritual transformation. The choice to establish your own sacred rhythm is the most important choice you can make with your life.

The Soul's Slow Ripening

The Soul's Slow Ripening PDF

Author: Christine Valters Paintner

Publisher: Ave Maria Press

Published: 2018-09-07

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 1932057110

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What does God want for your life? Christine Valters Paintner, bestselling Catholic author and online abbess for Abbey of the Arts, uses reflections, stories, guided activities, prayer experiences, and a variety of creative arts to help you patiently and attentively listen to God’s invitation. Everyone wants to understand God’s will for their lives. Christine Valters Paintner shares one of the most ancient paths to understanding from her study of monasticism and immersion into Celtic spirituality while living in Ireland. The Celtic way, which Paintner distills into twelve practices, offers discernment that focuses on the environment rather than the intellectual focus present in other forms of discernment. It allows for what Paintner calls the “soul’s slow ripening,” coming into the fullness of our own sweetness before we pluck the fruit. Each chapter begins with a story of a particular Irish saint—some well-known like Patrick or Brigid, others less so, such as Ita and Ciaran—and then introduces a helpful practice for discernment that the saint’s life illustrates. Paintner explores the call of dreams, the importance of thresholds, the practice of peregrination (wandering for the love of God), walking the rounds, learning by heart, soul friends, blessing each moment, and the wisdom of the landscape and the seasons. Readers are invited to explore these concepts through photography and writing. She invites us to contemplative walks with specific themes along with poetic writing prompts for expression. As you explore an alternate way of discerning a spiritual path—one which honors the moment-by-moment invitations and the soul’s seasonal rhythms—you will discover that this book will help you become more aligned with creativity and wholeness.

Living Life as a Sacred Practice

Living Life as a Sacred Practice PDF

Author: Sharon Parris-Chambers

Publisher: Balboa Press

Published: 2018-10-05

Total Pages: 191

ISBN-13: 1504396227

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Living Life as a Sacred Practice is the author’s response to many years of trying to learn various methods of unifying mind, body, and spirit. She has captured the essence of life and greatness in this book with the inclusion of many practices to develop spiritual mastery. The approach requires choosing a theme from the table of contents that resonates with the reader or that the reader needs to work on. Examples of suggested sections are Abundance, Sacred Feminine, Beauty, Life, Light, Breath Consciousness, Healing, Wellness, and Inside Out. The process begins with reflecting on a quotation, reading a commentary, and reciting an affirmation. This can be repeated throughout the day to reinforce the message. You may choose a practice for twenty-one to thirty days to achieve spiritual transformation, or just use the suggested one that comes along with the quote for inspiration. The commentaries are unique, thoughtful, and out of this world. It teaches the reader to be an original thinker and to look at life from the vantage point of a creator, not as an object of creation.

A Book of Life

A Book of Life PDF

Author: Michael Strassfeld

Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781580232470

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Charts a path to a spiritually rich Judaism, explaining traditional rituals and offering new ones for modern life. Encourages daily spiritual awareness as we seek the two fundamental goals of Judaism: to become better humans and to be in God's presence.

The Sacred Way

The Sacred Way PDF

Author: Tony Jones

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: 2010-12-21

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 031086383X

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Broaden your spiritual horizons.How has spirituality changed in the last 500, 1,000, or even 2,000 years? How can ancient approaches to faith help my relationship with God today?In The Sacred Way, popular author and speaker Tony Jones mines the rich history of 16 spiritual disciplines that have flourished throughout the ages and offers practical tips for implementing them in your daily life. Find encouragement and challenge through time-tested disciplines such as:•Silence and solitude •The Jesus prayer•Meditation•PilgrimageExplore these proven approaches to deepening your faith. As you do, your way of living your spiritual life will never be the same.

The Sacred Year

The Sacred Year PDF

Author: Mike Yankoski

Publisher: HarperChristian + ORM

Published: 2014-09-23

Total Pages: 369

ISBN-13: 0718022424

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"In his life and writing, Michael Yankoski walks a tightrope between action and contemplation, and, behold, in ways we can all learn from, he manages to find a sort of essential balance." —Philip Yancey, author of What's So Amazing About Grace "This book is a joy to the soul and a delight to the heart. It is destined to become a classic within the genre of contemporary spiritual and religious writing." —Phyllis Tickle, compiler of The Divine Hours Frustrated and disillusioned with his life as a Christian motivational speaker, Michael Yankoski was determined to stop merely talking about living a life of faith and start experiencing it. The result was a year of focused engagement with spiritual practices—both ancient and modern—that fundamentally reshaped and revived his life. By contemplating apples for an hour before tasting them (attentiveness), eating on just $2.00 a day (simplicity), or writing letters of thanks (gratitude), Michael discovered a whole new vitality and depth through the intentional life. Guided by the voice of Father Solomon—a local monk—Yankoski's Sacred Year slowly transforms his life. Both entertaining and profound, his story will resonate with those who wish to deepen their own committed faith as well as those who are searching—perhaps for the first time—for their own authentic encounter with the Divine.