Bøger udgivet af Inner Traditions

A hands-on guide to cultivating a more conscious and spiritually present life

Una guía para reformular nuestra visión del TDAH y aprovechar sus beneficios

Una guía para trabajar de forma segura con las plantas venenosas de la farmacopea de las brujas para la magia, la curación y las visiones

SPIRITUALITY / GEM STONES "This has to be the most incredible book ever published on sacred and magical stones. A must-have for historians and anyone interested in the sacred and magical properties of stones. This book really is a magical mystery tour!" --John DeSalvo, author of Power Crystals, Decoding the Enochian Secrets, and host of Mysterious Realms radio show Our ancestors believed stones were home to sacred beings of power, entities that if properly understood and cultivated could provide people protection from ill fortune, envy, and witchcraft; grant invisibility and other magical powers; improve memory; and heal the sick from a wide variety of diseases. These benefits could be obtained by wearing the stone on a ring, bracelet, or pendant; through massage treatments with the stone; or by reducing the gem to a powder and drinking it mixed with water or wine. Drawing from a wealth of ancient Arabic, Greek, Jewish, and European sources--from the observations of Pliny the Elder to extremely rare texts such as the Picatrix and Damigeron's Virtue of Stones--Claude Lecouteux provides a synthesis of all known lore for more than 800 stones. He includes such common examples as the emerald, which when engraved with the figure of a harpy holding a lamprey in its claws will banish panic and nightmares, and beryl, which when appropriately carved can summon water spirits or win its owner high renown, as well as more exotic stones such as astrios, a stone celebrated by ancient magicians and whose center glows like a star. Lecouteux also examines bezoars--stones formed in animals' bodies--as well as "magnets" that attract materials other than iron, such as gold, flesh, cotton, or scorpions. This comprehensive dictionary of sacred and magical gem lore, drawn from the rarest sources of Antiquity and the Middle Ages, represents a one-of-a-kind resource for gem enthusiasts and magical practitioners alike. CLAUDE LECOUTEUX is a former professor of medieval literature and civilization at the Sorbonne. He is the author of numerous books on medieval and pagan beliefs, including The Secret History of Poltergeists and Haunted Houses and The Secret History of Vampires. He lives in Paris.

Based on ancient Mayan, Olmec, and Toltec teachings passed down by the Twisted Hair Nagual Elders of the Sweet Medicine Sundance Path, Quodoushka offers practical guidance on sex, intimacy, and relationships that bring the sacred back into lovemaking.

New commentaries on Aleister Crowley's Book of the Law reveal how it is connected to both Right- and Left-Hand Paths.

NEW SCIENCE / PARAPSYCHOLOGY "Chris Carter is a one-man wrecking crew for the time-worn, tedious, petulant, and often flimsy complaints of the die-hard skeptics. A science of consciousness is doomed to be incomplete without taking Carter's keen insights into account." --Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Healing Words and The Power of Premonitions Reports of psychic abilities, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, and psychokinesis, date back to the beginning of recorded human history in all cultures. Documented, reproducible evidence exists that these abilities are real, yet the mainstream scientific community has vehemently denied the existence of psi phenomena for centuries. The battle over the reality of psi has carried on in scientific academies, courtrooms, scholarly journals, newspapers, and radio stations and has included scandals, wild accusations, ruined reputations, as well as bizarre characters on both sides of the debate. If true evidence exists, why then is the study of psi phenomena--parapsychology--so controversial? And why has the controversy lasted for centuries? Exploring the scandalous history of parapsychology and citing decades of research, Chris Carter shows that, contrary to mainstream belief, replicable evidence of psi phenomena exists. The controversy over parapsychology continues not because ESP and other abilities cannot be verified but because their existence challenges deeply held worldviews more strongly rooted in religious and philosophical beliefs than in hard science. Carter reveals how the doctrine of materialism--in which nothing matters but matter--has become an infallible article of faith for many scientists and philosophers, much like the convictions of religious fundamentalists. Consequently, the possibility of psychic abilities cannot be tolerated because their existence would refute materialism and contradict a deeply ingrained ideology. By outlining the origin of this passionate debate, Carter calls on all open-minded individuals to disregard the church of skepticism and reach their own conclusions by looking at the vast body of evidence. CHRIS CARTER received his undergraduate and master's degrees from the University of Oxford. The author of Science and the Near-Death Experience, Carter is originally from Canada and currently teaches internationally.

Shows how dance, the highest expression of spirituality in cultures and traditions all over the world, is being integrated into the lives of women today • The first book to explore women's spiritual expression--women's ways--through a study of dance • Investigates how dance came to be excluded from worship, and reveals how dance is once again being brought into spiritual practices • Includes resources for further instruction in sacred dance Today we primarily think of dance as a form of entertainment or as a way to exercise or socialize. There was a time, however, when dance was considered the way to commune with the divine, a part of life's journey, celebrating the seasons and rhythms of the year and the rhythms of our lives. Dance is a language that reunites the body, mind, and soul. While the role of women's sacred dance was most valued in goddess-worshipping cultures where women served as priestesses and healers, dance was once an integral part of religious ritual and ceremonial expression in cultures all over the world, including Judaism and Christianity. In this book the author investigates how dance came to be excluded from worship and reveals how dance is once again being integrated into spiritual practices. Sacred Woman, Sacred Dance is the first book to explore women's spiritual expression--women's ways--through a study of dance. It describes sacred circles, birth rituals, ecstatic dances, and dances of loss and grief (in groups and individually) that allow women to integrate the movements of faith, healing, and power into their daily life.

Un psiquiatra clínico explora los efectos de la DMT, una de las drogas psicodélicas más potentes que se conocen.

ANCIENT MYSTERIES / NEW AGE "Chris Hardy is one of the most intrepid explorers of the frontiers of consciousness. The Sacred Network provides its readers with a blueprint for their development both as individuals and as members of the human species." --Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., professor of psychology, Saybrook University, and coauthor of Personal Mythology "A scientist mind meets a visionary sage in author Chris Hardy. She foresees our individual souls weaving networks that will connect all over the world. One of the most creative and original books of our times." --Allan Combs, professor of transformative studies, California Institute of Integral Studies, and coeditor of Thomas Berry, Dreamer of the Earth First marked by the standing stones of our megalithic ancestors, the world's sacred sites are not only places of spiritual energy but also hubs of cosmic energy and earthly energy. Generation upon generation has recognized the power of these sites, with the result that each dominant culture builds their religious structures on the same spots--the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, for example, was constructed over a temple to Diana that in turn had been built over a stone pillar worshipped by the Gauls. In The Sacred Network, Chris Hardy shows how the world's sacred sites coincide with the intersections of energetic waves from the earth's geomagnetic field and how--via their megaliths, temples, and steeples--these sites act as antennae for the energies of the cosmos. Delving deeply into Paris's sacred network, she also explores the intricate geometrical patterns created by the alignments of churches and monuments, such as pentagrams and Stars of David. Revealing that consciousness is a tangible energy, she explains how the sacred network is fueling an 8,000-year evolutionary cycle initiated by our megalithic ancestors that will soon culminate in a new state of shared consciousness for humanity. CHRIS H. HARDY, Ph.D., a former researcher at Psychophysical Research Laboratories in Princeton, has spent many years investigating psi capacities, altered states of consciousness, and the mind at large. She has authored 17 published books, including Networks of Meaning. She lives in France.

SPIRITUALITY / NEW AGE "True to the wishes of her teacher, Eve Baumohl Neuhaus skillfully offers a glimpse into the life and profound teachings of Ganesh Baba. In so doing, she enriches the spiritual literature of today with the tantric wisdom and wit that transcends culture and healthily disregards political correctness. An entertaining and thought-provoking read." --Robert Sachs, author of The Passionate Buddha: Wisdom on Intimacy and Enduring Love Shri Mahant Swami Ganeshanand Saraswati Giri (ca. 1895-1987) was known to all who loved and studied with him simply as Ganesh Baba. At the age of four, he was brought back from death through an initiation by Lahiri Mahasaya and through this initiation descends from the same Kriya Yoga lineage as Paramahansa Yogananda. He became a swami under his guru Sivananda and later went on to run the Anandamayi Ma ashram. Drawn to the life of the Naga Babas, he became the head of the Ananda Akhara, Naga followers of Lord Shiva who consider cannabis and other entheogens to be the gift of the gods. The unique set of principles and exercises Ganesh Baba developed from the tantric practices of traditional Kriya Yoga and Shivaism became the core of his personal teachings of Crea (for creative) Yoga. Ganesh Baba's message of systematic synthesis of the spiritual and secular was carefully developed for and embraced by contemporary students in the 1960s, especially those whose path included the use of entheogens. This book contains the core of Ganesh Baba's Crea Yoga teachings, from the beginning stages of conscious control of one's posture, breath, and attention to finally extending one's awareness to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. Eve Baumohl Neuhaus shows that the life of this scholar and crazy saint was as instructive as his teachings. She includes many personal reminiscences of this inspirational and challenging teacher from her own life and those of fellow students, which demonstrate that Ganesh Baba's extraordinary life was in keeping with his own role as the embodiment of Lord Ganesh, the remover of obstacles. EVE BAUMOHL NEUHAUS was one of many students who worked with Ganesh Baba when he was in the United States from 1979 until 1985, typing and retyping his manuscripts. A schoolteacher from 1979 to 2001, she has a master's degree in mythological studies and gives workshops in art, mythology, and Crea Yoga. The author of Journey to Mythaca, she lives in central California.

ESTUDIOS MAYAS / NUEVA ERA "El codigo maya es verdaderamente interesante y extraordinario porque sus afirmaciones se basan en hechos. Por ejemplo, menciona los VEDAS. Los mayas llamamos a ese pueblo 'los BEDZA'. Seguian el antiguo calendario de 360 dias, como mismo hacian los mayas con el calendario Haab, que tambien tiene 360 dias. Le recomiendo que lea este libro." --Hunbatz Men, sacerdote de la tradicion itza maya "Barbara Hand Clow ha escrito el libro definitivo acerca del ano 2012. Este libro es, sin mas, el mejor recurso que existe actualmente. Un ser humano muy sabio ha vertido su corazon, su alma y su mente en las palabras aqui escritas. El codigo maya es un magnifico regalo para todo lector." --Whitley Strieber, autor de Comunion y La clave El codigo maya constituye una profunda exploracion de la manera en que, a medida que nos aproximamos al final del calendario maya, el tiempo y la conciencia se aceleran y nos proporcionan una nueva comprension del universo. Valiendose de las investigaciones de Carl Johan Calleman, y de las ideas de otros expertos en el calendario maya, Barbara Hand Clow examina 16 400 millones de anos de evolucion y descodifica las pautas creativas de la Tierra, o sea, la conciencia mundial. Estas grandes pautas culminan en 2011 y luego, durante 2012, importantes influencias astrologicas nos inspiraran a alcanzar la unidad y la iluminacion. El codigo maya muestra como los ciclos temporales del calendario coinciden con periodos importantes en los bancos de datos evolutivos de la Tierra y la Galaxia de la Via Lactea. Estas fases de la evolucion convergen durante la etapa final del Calendario, el periodo comprendido entre 1999 y 2011. Tanto la guerra y la territorialidad como la gestion de los recursos y la separacion de la naturaleza son parte de los acontecimientos cotidianos que debemos procesar durante estos escasos anos: son prueba de la espiral del tiempo cada vez mas compacta que estamos experimentando debido a la aceleracion del tiempo. Barbara Hand Clow nos asegura que nuestra propia sanacion personal es el factor mas importante al prepararnos para dar este salto critico en la evolucion humana. Esto se ha dado en llamar "el despertar de la conciencia mundial." BARBARA HAND CLOW pertenece al consejo internacional de ancianos mayas (Comunidad Indigena Maya), es portadora de las cronicas de los cheroqui y es una maestra de ceremonias y autora de prestigio internacional. Ha escrito otros diez libros, entre los que figuran The Pleiadian Agenda [El plan de las Pleyades], The Mind Chronicles [Cronicas de la mente], Quiron, Alquimia de las nueve dimensiones y Catastrofobia, y mantiene un sitio web de astrologia, en www.handclow2012.com.

SCIENCE / NEW THOUGHT "Marc Seifer has made the difficult easy to understand as he covers such broad topics as cosmological coincidences, new theories on gravity, and higher states of consciousness. This book generates fresh ideas on the link between thoughts, the physical universe, and the speed of light. Transcending the Speed of Light is a bold new adventure into the exciting world of consciousness exploration." --Uri Geller, paranormalist "I highly recommend this book to any and all readers who are seriously interested in the puzzling problem of the nature of mind and consciousness. I most enthusiastically endorse Marc's work." --Col. Tom Bearden (retired), author of Excalibur Briefing Since the introduction of Descartes' dualism in the seventeenth century, the mind and the physical world have been viewed as disconnected entities. Yet qualities of mind such as awareness, purposeful action, organization, design, and even decision making are present within the structure of matter and within the dimensions of space and time. The spacetime continuum of scientists generally ignores the realm of the mind, though phenomena such as imaginary numbers, used by Einstein to combine space with time, are concepts that exist only in the mind. Marc Seifer contends that the inadequacy of four-dimensional models to account for our experience of mental phenomena points to the consciousness of the mind as a higher organizing principle, a fifth dimension where thoughts are as real and quantifiable as our familiar physical world. He shows that because thought enables us to move backward and forward through time--reflecting on the past and making plans for the future--this fifth dimension of mind breaks the laws of relativity, thereby transcending the speed of light. His extensive study of this fifth dimension ranges from relativity and ether theory to precognition, telepathy, and synchronicity, all from the perspective of the conscious universe. MARC J. SEIFER, Ph.D., teaches psychology at Roger Williams University. He has studied under Bruno Bettelheim, Herbert Meltzer, and Stanley Krippner and is the author of several books, including Inward Journey: From Freud to Gurdjieff and the acclaimed Wizard: The Life & Times of Nikola Tesla. He lives in Rhode Island.

NEW SCIENCE / SACRED GEOMETRY "In showing the connection between the Hermetic Code and the genetic code, Michael Hayes points to the fact that the essence of evolution can also be found in religion, and therefore in the realm of the evolution of consciousness. . . . What he has discovered could be as important as the original discovery of DNA. Like Jurij Moskvitin and Jeremy Narby, he has created a new paradigm--that is, he is looking at our familiar universe from a new angle and making us aware of magical possibilities." --Colin Wilson, from the Foreword Many have observed the distinct numerical patterns embedded in ancient philosophies and religions from all over the world; others have noted that these same patterns are apparent in many of the theories of groundbreaking science. Michael Hayes reveals that there is a precise code, the Hermetic Code, that connects these patterns--information once known to ancient cultures but apparently lost over time. Mirrored in the structure of this code are the ordering principles of the universe and, intriguingly, also the harmonic ratios of music. Our notions of what is harmonious in music may therefore arise not from an abstract aesthetic sense but rather as a response to an intuition of a fundamental cosmic harmony. The resonance between biology and cosmology shows that life is music, complete with "overtones"--nowhere more strikingly present than in the helical structure of life itself: DNA. MICHAEL HAYES is an administrator at the University of Central England and is the author of The Infinite Harmony. He first recognized a common link between all major religions and esoteric doctrines while working in postrevolutionary Iran, where he was able to observe all the major religions practiced side by side. He lives with his wife and family in Birmingham, England.

RELIGION / CHRISTIAN STUDIES James, the younger brother of Jesus, has been the subject of controversy since the founding of Christianity. This book reveals his true role as Jesus' chosen successor and demonstrates that the core message in the teachings of Jesus is an expansion, not a repudiation, of the Jewish religion. James recently made international headlines due to the discovery of an ancient Jewish ossuary that bore the inscription: "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." Evidence that Jesus had siblings contradicts Roman Catholic dogma on the virgin birth, and James is also a symbol of suppressed Christian teachings. While Peter is traditionally thought of as the leader of the apostles and the "rock" on which Jesus built his church, Jeffrey Butz shows that it was James who led the disciples after the crucifixion. It was James, not Peter, who guided them through the Church's first major theological crisis--Paul's interpretation of the teachings of Jesus. Using the canonical Gospels, writings of the Church Fathers, and apocryphal texts, Butz argues that James is the most overlooked figure in the history of the Church. He shows how the core teachings of Jesus are firmly rooted in Hebrew tradition and reveals the bitter battles between James and Paul for ideological supremacy in the early Church, explaining that Paul's interpretations, which became the foundation of the Church, are in many ways a betrayal of Jesus' teachings. Butz reveals a picture of Christianity and the true meaning of Christ's message that are sometimes quite at odds with established Christian doctrine and concludes that James can serve as a desperately needed link between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam that could heal the wounds of centuries of enmity. JEFFREY J. BuTZ is an ordained Lutheran minister and an adjunct professor of world religions at Penn State University's Berks-Lehigh Valley campus. He lives in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania.

CULTURAL STUDIES / ARTAll over the world and throughout history amulets have offered protection against negative forces. The power of amulets is based on the underlying, widespread belief that all things in the natural world have a spirit and a power that links them together. Intricately beautiful or starkly simple, amulets come in an astonishing variety of guises: from stones, shells, and seeds, through animal tails, teeth, and claws, to beads, mirrors, needles, and bells. Used alone or combined in intricate patterns, they are all part of a system of natural and magical forces that can be used to redress evil influences.When the Great Plague swept across Europe and hit London in 1665, the disease was believed to be caused by the wrath of God and spread by the bad odors emanating from the sick. On still days, church bells were rung and shots fired to drive off the disease by moving the air. Birds were kept in rooms to sing and create drafts. But strong-smelling amulets, pomanders of cloves and spices, were considered the best protection.It is particularly in such a climate of deadly pestilence caused by forces unknown and not understood--as in the case of AIDS in Africa today--that the power of amulets thrives. Until well into the nineteenth century, illness was commonly believed to be the work of evil spirits, demons, witches, the evil eye, angry gods, or even ancestors. In the face of such supernatural forces a magical defense acquired its own rationality.Babies are particularly vulnerable to evil forces and illness. High infant mortality rates--the causes of which are not understood--are confronted by a plethora of beads, stones, and bags of herbs hung around the child's neck. In the Golden Triangle, the region where Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), and Laos all meet, neck rings are put on a few days after birth and kept on night and day. These hold the soul in the body ensuring the humanity of the child and protecting it from evil. Tribes in southern China hold evil spirits at bay by dressing their children in hats that fool the spirits into thinking the child is a flower, an owl, or even a tiger or dragon.Amulets are not just something from the distant past. When astronaut Edward White went to the moon, he took in the right-hand pocket of his space suit a Saint Christopher medallion, a gold cross, and a Star of David. Perhaps the newest amulet to emerge is a silver circular pendant that protects the wearer from the electromagnetic fields of his or her cell phone.To unearth the mythology, symbolism, traditional practices, and modern uses of amulets, the author traveled to more than thirty countries around the world. She reveals her findings not only in unusual stories and commentary but also through more than 400 color photographs.SHEILA PAINE is an expert on tribal societies and textiles and is the author of "Embroidered Textiles: Traditional Patterns from Five Continents" and the trilogy" The Afghan Amulet: Travels from the Hindu Kush to Razgrad, The Golden Horde: Travels from the Himalaya to Karpathos, " and "The Linen Goddess: Travels from the Red Sea to Prizren." She lives in England.

RELACIONES / SEXUALIDAD "Utilizando su experiencia personal y la de sus estudiantes, Kerry y Diane Riley proporcionan un refrescante y sensato enfoque, ademas de una riqueza de sabiduria practica del tantra contemporaneo, basado en toda una vida de amor. Secretos Tantricos para Hombres merece ser leido por hombres de cualquier lugar --y por las mujeres que los amen, quienes los amaran aun mas, despues de que lean este libro!"--David Ramsdale, autor de Sexual Energy Ecstasy [Extasis de Energia Sexual]No es facil ser un buen amante. Con mas libertad, sabiduria y conocimiento del cuerpo, la mujer de hoy sabe mas como para conformarse con un previsible sexo basado en el desempeno. Secretos Tantricos para Hombres proporciona todo lo que un hombre necesita saber para satisfacer los anhelos fisicos, emocionales y espirituales en una relacion sexual --y como llevarse a si mismo a nuevas alturas de extasis en el proceso.Kerry y Diane Riley utilizan antiguos secretos tantricos, para mostrar la manera de transformar el sexo en una apasionada forma de hacer el amor; el placer, en extasis y la relacion, en union. Sus expertas ensenanzas representan a un comprometido matrimonio que practica la sexualidad extatica dentro de los desafios de un moderno estilo de vida. Los autores proporcionan a las parejas, tecnicas practicas para hacer el amor logrando, con mas frecuencia, mas altos y prolongados estados de intensidad orgasmica, ademas de experimentar hacer el amor como una practica sagrada. Mediante su enfoque, las parejas encontraran nuevas maneras para satisfacerse mutuamente en los niveles de cuerpo, corazon y alma, para mantener vivos su amor y pasion sexual.KERRY Y DIANE RILEY son co-creadores del exitoso video The Secrets of Sacred Sex [Los Secretos del Sexo Sagrado] (mas de 200,000 copias vendidas). Dan cursos por todo el mundo, sobre fortalecimiento personal, sexo, amor y relaciones, combinando contemporaneas terapias de sexo con las magnificas tradiciones de la sexualidad extatica. Kerry y Diane viven con sus hijos en Whale Beach, Australia.

Sacred numbers arose from ancient mans observation of the heavens, and represent the secrets of cosmic proportion and alignment. The ancients understood that the ripeness of the natural world is the perfection of ratio and that the planetary system--and time itself--is a creation of number. We have forgotten what our ancestors once knew: that numbers and their properties create the forms of the world.

TAOISM / QIGONG "Contains very good explanations of and information on Chinese Taoist concepts, principles, practices, and goals. It also provides useful tips for everyday health and pointers for accessing the mysteries of mysticism. Readers will be inspired to begin or renew their commitments for cultivating a fuller life." --Master Mantak Chia, author of Taoist Cosmic Healing Taoist principles state that we each possess within ourselves the medicine necessary to promote optimum health, prolong life, and even achieve immortality. Taoists view illness and death as the natural results of dissipating the Three Treasures--ching (sexual and physical energy), qi (breath and vital energy), and shen (spirit and mental energy). The secret science of restoring, gathering, and transforming these primal energies creates an internal Elixir of Immortality that reverses the effects of the aging process. In The Jade Emperor's Mind Seal Classic, Stuart Alve Olson presents new translations of three primary Taoist texts: "The Immortals," from the Pao P'u Tzu by Ko Hung of the Sung dynasty--the first Taoist in ancient China to give a full personal account of his search for immortality; the first and only translation of the complete text of The Jade Emperor's Mind Seal Classic, which has long been one of five important scriptures recited daily by Taoists of the Dragon Gate Sect; and a rare Dragon Gate treatise, "The Three Treasures of Immortality," that defines the subjects of ching, qi, and shen. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of Taoism, martial arts, and Chinese history and culture, the author accompanies his translations with extensive commentary that explains the historical context of the texts as well as demonstrates the practical applications of their teachings in contemporary life. STUART ALVE OLSON has been a practicing Taoist for over thirty years and has studied with the famous Taoist master T. T. Liang (1900-2002). He lectures throughout the world and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

DEAD SEA SCROLLS / ANCIENT EGYPT "Robert Feather has been able to uncover the first link between Akhenaten and the Qumran community, through the Copper Scroll. This new evidence will completely change our understanding of the relationship between biblical Moses and historical Akhenaten." --Ahmed Osman, author of Moses and Akhenaten "Empowered with technical expertise and tenacious research, Robert Feather stimulates excited debate with The Mystery of the Copper Scroll of Qumran." --Christopher Dunn, author of The Giza Power Plant The Dead Sea Scrolls comprise the oldest collection of biblical documents ever discovered. Of the Dead Sea Scrolls, none has baffled experts more than the Copper Scroll, discovered in 1952 by a team of Bedouin led by Henri de Contenson of the ecole Biblique in East Jerusalem. Appearing to be a list of buried treasure engraved on copper pieces, the Copper Scroll has long been considered to be the work of a devout, secretive Jewish sect, the Essenes, who lived by the Dead Sea around the time of Jesus. Metallurgist Robert Feather demonstrates, however, that the weights and numbering systems used in the Copper Scroll are actually Egyptian in origin. He further shows how Greek characters inserted into the text of the Copper Scroll make clear references to the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten. Feather's findings support theories that the original priests of Akhenaten continued to pass on his religious teachings of monotheism and that those teachings directly impacted the theological evolution of ancient Judaism. Decoded, the Copper Scroll also indicates the existence of a completely independent sect of pious Hebrew priests that preserved the original practices of Ahkenaten-influenced Judaism. This fascinating study takes the reader on a journey from ancient Mesopotamia, through Canaan, into Egypt, and back to the shores of the Dead Sea in order to explore the wide-reaching implications of the Copper Scroll. The author suggests the locations of most of the treasures listed on the scroll; explores further links between the Essenes of Qumran and other Jewish sects, such as the Ethiopian Jews; and provides a fresh understanding of the origins of monotheism--the basis of the three great religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ROBERT FEATHER is a metallurgist, journalist, and scholar of world religions. He is the founding editor of The Metallurgist and editor of Weighing and Measuring. He lives in London.

WOMEN'S STUDIES / SPIRITUALITY Artistic representations depicting two women in intimate relations with each other, or as a single body with two heads, have been discovered in important centers of early civilization from locations as widespread as the Mediterranean and Aegean regions to Central Asia, India, Tibet, Mexico, and Peru. The archaeologists who first discovered these figures dubbed them Double Goddesses and linked them to ancient cults of the Great Mother. Vicki Noble validates this Great Goddess connection and asserts that the icon of the Double Goddess expands our understanding of ancient female autonomy and sovereignty. Illustrated with more than 150 representations of this ancient icon, The Double Goddess offers contemporary women an archetype for the sacred potential of female bonding--whether between mother and daughter, teacher and student, friends, or lovers. VICKI NOBLE is a healer, teacher, artist, and cocreator (with Karen Vogel) of the bestselling Motherpeace Tarot deck. Her other books include Shakti Woman; Motherpeace: A Way to the Goddess Through Myth, Art, and Tarot; and Rituals and Practices with the Motherpeace Tarot. She lives in the mountains near Santa Cruz, California.

Odier"" guides the reader through the specifics of the mental disciplines and visualizations that Buddhist and Taoist masters have used for ages in their quest for illumination. To devote oneself to meditation, in the sense understood by Buddhists and Taoists, is to realize the understanding of how every fiber of our being converges with all creation.

MYTHOLOGY / BIOGRAPHY "A marvelous account of the life of a man who fell in love with stories and became our greatest teller of timeless myths. A feast for the mind, the imagination, and the heart." --Sam Keen, author of Fire in the Belly "Joseph Campbell was an amazing, abundant, humane man. This book, by incorporating his journals, letters, and a massive offering of his intellectual sources, helps us understand how, in this half-dead world, such a character comes to be." --Robert Bly, poet and author of Iron John: A Book About Men "Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind ignites the soul of the reader with immortal longings. To read it is to swim in a river of old with Joseph Campbell, whose capacity for knowledge was as vast as his passion for living. [It is a] potent telling of the quest of one who brought life to myth and myth to life." --Jean Houston, author of The Search for the Beloved Joseph Campbell forged an approach to the study of myth and legend that made ancient traditions and beliefs immediate, relevant, and universal. His teachings and literary works, including The Masks of God, have shown that beneath the apparent themes of world mythology lie patterns that reveal the ways in which we all may encounter the great mysteries of existence: birth, growth, soul development, and death. Biographers Stephen and Robin Larsen were students and friends of Campbell for more than twenty years. With exclusive access to his personal papers and journals, they weave a rich tapestry of stories and insights that catalogue both his personal and public triumphs. STEPHEN LARSEN, Ph.D., is the author of The Shaman's Doorway and The Mythic Imagination. He is a practicing psychotherapist and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at SUNY (Ulster). Robin Larsen, Ph.D., is an exhibiting artist and art historian. She is editor-in-chief of the tricentennial biography and anthology Emanuel Swedenborg: A Continuing Vision. The Larsens co-direct the Center for Symbolic Studies in New Paltz, New York.

NEW AGE ⁄ SPIRITUALITY "Forceful and compelling. . . . A work of marvelous construction." --Spirituality Today In A Spirituality Named Compassion, Matthew Fox, the popular and controversial author, establishes a spirituality for the future that promises personal, social, and global healing. Using his own experiences with the pain and lifestyle changes that resulted from an accident, Fox has written an uplifting book on the issues of ecological justice, the suffering of Earth, and the rights of her nonhuman citizens. Fox defines compassion as creativity put to the service of justice and argues that we can achieve compassion for both humanity and the environment as we recognize the interconnectedness of all things. Working toward the creation of a gentler, ecological, and feminist Christianity, Fox marries mysticism and social justice, emphasizing that as we enter a new millennium society needs to realize that spirituality's purpose is to guide us on a path that leads to a genuine love of all our relations and a love for our shared interdependence. MATTHEW FOX is a theologian, educator, former Dominican priest, and the author of such popular books as Original Blessing and The Coming of the Cosmic Christ. The author of twenty-one books and the winner of numerous awards, he is also the founder and president of the University of Creation Spirituality and codirector of The Naropa Institute's master's program in Creation Spirituality, both in Oakland, California.

NEW AGE / SPIRITUALITY "The most important book on mysticism in 500 years." --Madonna Kolbenschlag, author of Kissing Sleeping Beauty Goodbye Passion for Creation (formerly Breakthrough) is Matthew Fox's comprehensive translation of and original commentary on the critical German and Latin texts of thirty-seven sermons by Meister Eckhart, the noted fourteenth-century Dominican priest, preacher, and mystic. The goodness of creation, the holiness of all things, the divine blood in each person, the need to let go and let be--these are among Eckhart's themes, themes that the bestselling author Matthew Fox brilliantly interprets and explains for today's reader. Passion for Creation will be embraced by theologians, students, and all seekers of truth. It will be especially welcomed by those interested in creation spirituality, which Eckhart advocated six centuries ago and which Matthew Fox has promoted as a spiritual path for the new millennium. Simply put, this book is a meeting of two prophets across hundreds of years. The outcome of that meeting is a fount of wisdom. The first person to translate the work of Hildegard von Bingen into English, MATTHEW FOX is the founder and president of the University of Creation Spirituality and codirector of The Naropa Institute's master's program in Creation Spirituality, both in Oakland, California.

MEN'S HEALTH When Viagra burst on the scene in 1998 it became the best-selling drug of all time, surpassing even Prozac. An estimated 30 million men in the United States suffer from erectile dysfunction, and the introduction of a pill that could solve their problems revolutionized the treatment of ED. Or did it? Improper use of Viagra has been associated with more than 200 deaths, as well as heart attacks, hypertension, color blindness, and other health problems, and more and more evidence shows that erectile dysfunction can rarely be cured by a "magic pill." In fact, taking Viagra can end up accentuating the greater underlying problem of which the ED was a symptom, whether it be lack of physical well-being, poor psychological health, or relationship difficulties. For those men who want all the facts on erectile dysfunction, The Viagra Alternative offers the most up-to-date information on natural, safe, and long-term cures, as well as analyses of Viagra and its competitors. Recognizing that a healthy sex life is impossible without physical, mental, and emotional health, Dr. Marc Bonnard focuses on healing the whole person with treatments ranging from herbs such as ginkgo, ginseng, saw palmetto, and yohimbe to homeopathy, acupuncture, diet, yoga exercises, and the introduction of new sexual techniques. Dr. Bonnard places special emphasis on relationship therapy, demonstrating that often an enjoyable sex life can be restored without resorting to chemicals or supplements of any kind. By exploring the range of options outlined in The Viagra Alternative and deciding which is best for them, men need no longer rely on a little pill to take control of their sexual lives. MARC BONNARD, M.D., is a psychiatrist specializing in sex therapy and is a graduate of the French Association of Acupuncture. He lectures throughout Europe on the topic of erectile dysfunction and runs a private clinic near Bordeaux.