Skylight Illuminations – serie

SPIRITUAL WRITINGS ON MARY explores a collection of writings on Mary, the mother of Jesus dating from the time of the Hebrew Bible prophecies to the present. Selections from the Hebrew Bible, New Testament and Qur'an include sacred poems, prayers, hymns and songs, scriptural passages and prose pieces illustrative of the unbroken river of reflection, devotion and love that Mary has inspired throughout the centuries. Selections also include contributions from wisdom and spiritual writers, visionaries mediaeval thinkers and modern theologians from a wide range of Western and Eastern backgrounds including Dante, Hildegard of Bingen, Bernard of Clairvaux, Angela of Foligno, Paul Claudel, Herbert A. Kenny, Thomas Aquinas Bonaventure and Hans Kung. With facing page commentary that opens up these texts to people of all faiths and backgrounds, SPIRITUAL WRITINGS ON MARY helps readers to experience the beauty and mystery surrounding Mary, while learning about her timeless effect on the human soul.

Discover the richness of Rumi's spiritual tradition—through facing-page commentary that brings his writings to life for you."This book you are now holding is a selection of what I believe are the best of Rumi’s accounts of the compassionate actions, sayings, and qualities of the Prophet, which include Rumi’s own inspired comments and explanations. It is my hope that you will be surprised and uplifted by the profound wisdom that Jalaluddin Rumi conveys through these stories and sayings."—from the PrefaceThis great Sufi poet and teacher can become a companion for your own spiritual journey.The lyric and wisdom poetry of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi has been an inspiration throughout the Middle East and Asia for over seven hundred years. Recently, it has also become popular in Western countries through translations and interpretive poetic versions in English. But while popular renderings have created the appreciation of Rumi the mystic, there is little understanding today of the religious and spiritual traditions from which the great mystic came. Rumi and Islam—Selections from His Stories, Poems, and Discourses examines not the popularized Rumi of universal love but the Sufi disciple whose works express deep reverence for the Prophet Muhammad. Ibrahim Gamard focuses on Rumi’s place within the Sufi tradition of Islam, as one of the greatest Muslim followers of the Prophet Muhammed, and on the Islamic foundations of his lover-Beloved mystical poetry. By probing verse by verse Rumi’s spiritual teachings, Gamard provides insight into the mystical side of the Qur’an and Islam, a religion that holds a deep love of God at its core.Now you can experience the profound and uplifting wisdom of Rumi even if you have no previous knowledge of Sufism or Islam. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents the most important of Rumi’s writings, mainly from the Mathnawi, with insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that conveys how his teachings about the nature of love for God and God’s love for us can increase our understanding of Islamic wisdom in the West.

Hundreds of commentaries and dozens of Bible translations make the Hebrew prophets available to modern-day readers but most often these sources focus on history or apologetics losing the reader who is searching for spiritual insight. THE HEBREW PROPHETS makes the wisdom of these timeless teachers available to readers with no previous knowledge of the prophets. With fresh contemporary commentary Rami Shapiro reveals the central themes covered by all the prophets: moving from ignorance to wisdom injustice to justice cruelty to compassion and despair to joy. This unique look at the Hebrew prophets sharpens the personal nature of their message and highlights their critique of the spiritual errors we all face in life challenging readers to correct those errors and experience a life of awakening and joy.

James has been a subject of controversy since the founding of the Church. Evidence that Jesus had siblings contradicts Church dogma on the virgin birth and James is also a symbol of Christian teachings that have been obscured. While Peter is traditionally thought of as the leader of the apostles and the rock on which Jesus built his church Jeffrey Bütz 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 Bütz 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 Hebraic tradition; reveals the bitter battles between James and Paul for ideological supremacy in the early Church; and explains how Paul's interpretations which became the foundation of the Church are in many ways its betrayal. Bütz reveals a picture of Christianity and the true meaning of Christ's message that are sometimes at odds with established Christian doctrine and concludes that James can serve as a desperately needed missing link between Christianity Judaism and Islam to heal the wounds of centuries of enmity.

An inside look at the foundational sacred text of one of the world's youngest and fastest growing religionsThe Book of Mormon stands alongside the Bible as the keystone of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church/Mormonism). Translated by the prophet Joseph Smith from ancient writings inscribed on golden plates, the Book of Mormon is an account of people living in the Western Hemisphere in a timeline that parallels that of the Bible. It covers a thousand years of loss, discovery, war, peace and spiritual principles that focus on the teachings of Jesus Christ, outlining a plan for salvation and the responsibilities we must assume to attain it.The Book of Mormon: Selections Annotated & Explained explores this sacred epic that is cherished by more than twelve million members of the LDS church as the keystone of their faith. Probing the principal themes and historical foundation of this controversial and provocative narrative, Jana Riess focuses on key selections that offer insight into contemporary Mormon beliefs and scriptural emphases, such as the atonement of Christ, the nature of human freedom, the purpose of baptism and the need for repentance from sin. She clarifies the religious, political and historical events that take place in the ancient communities of the Book of Mormon and their underlying contemporary teachings that serve as the framework for spiritual practices that lie at the core of Mormon life.Now you can experience this foundational sacred text even if you have no previous knowledge of Mormonism. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents the key teachings and essential concepts of the Mormon faith tradition with insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that helps to dispel many of the misconceptions that have surrounded the Book of Mormon since its publication in 1830.

THE SECRET BOOK OF JOHN is the most significant and influential text of the ancient Gnostic religion. Part of the library of books found in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945, this central myth of Gnosticism tells the story of how God fell from perfect Oneness to imprisonment in the material world and how by knowing our divine nature and our divine origins - that we are one with God - we reverse God's descent and find our salvation. THE SECRET BOOK OF JOHN decodes the principal themes, historical foundation and spiritual contexts of this challenging yet fundamental Gnostic teaching. Drawing connections to Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, kabbalistic Judaism and Sufism, Davies focuses on the mythology and psychology of the Gnostic religious quest. He illuminates the Gnostics' ardent call for self-awareness and introspection and the empowering message that divine wholeness will be restored not by worshipping false gods in an illusory material world but by our recognition of the inherent divinity within ourselves.Now you can experience and understand this foundational teaching even if you have no previous knowledge of Gnosticism. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents the most important and valued book in Gnostic religion with insightful yet unobtrusive commentary. It provides deeper insight into the understanding that in Gnosticism the distinction between saviour and saved ceases to exist - you must save yourself and in doing so save God.

A collection of writings by monks from the fourth to fifteenth centuries, the PHILOKALIA more than any other text reflects the Eastern Church's interpretation of the Bible's meaning. Simply translated the title means 'love of the beautiful', which reflects the text's emphasis on mystical and contemplative practices to engage all of our senses in the acts of worship and prayer. This introduction to the wisdom of the PHILOKALIA illuminates a text that, until now, has intimidated the general reader in its scholarly translations from Greek and Russian. Allyne Smith focuses his thoughtful selection on seven themes that recur throughout the five-volume work - repentance, the heart prayer, the Jesus Prayer the passions, stillness and theosis. Smith's enlightening, accessible, facing-page commentary fills in the historical and spiritual context clarifies core teachings including the Eastern understanding of salvation and draws connections to modern-day practices such as contemplative prayer. Now you can experience the spiritual wisdom of the PHILOKALIA even if you have no previous knowledge of Eastern Christianity. This SkyLight Illuminations edition takes you on a journey through this beloved text showing you how the teachings of Eastern monks can help you become by grace what God is by nature.

The pure and penetrating message of the Divine Feminine Wisdom can become a companion for your own spiritual journeyThe first of God's creations and God’s endless delight, Wisdom (also known as Chochma and Sophia) is the Mother of all life, the guide to right living. She is God manifest in the world you encounter moment to moment. Her teachings, embedded in the Holy Scriptures of Jews and Christians, are passionate, powerful calls to live in harmony, love with integrity and act joyously.Through the Hebrew books of Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes and Job, and the Wisdom literature books of Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon, the Divine Feminine speaks to you directly, and Her only desire is to teach you to become wise. Rami Shapiro’s contemporary translations and powerful commentaries clarify who Wisdom is, what She teaches, and how Her words can help you live justly, wisely and with compassion. This is not a book about Wisdom but the voice of Wisdom Herself, liberating, uplifting and compelling. Now you can experience the Divine Feminine and understand Her teachings with no previous knowledge of Wisdom literature. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents insightful commentary that explains Sophia’s way of wisdom and illustrates the countless opportunities to experience Her creative energy through which God fashions all things.

This ancient Gnostic text can be a companion for your own spiritual quest.The Gospel of Philip is one of the most exciting and accessible of the Gnostic texts found at Nag Hammadi in Egypt in 1945. The source of Dan Brown's intriguing speculations about Mary Magdalene in his best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code, the Gospel of Philip draws on ancient imagery—the natural world, the relationships between women, men and family, the ancient distinctions between lord and servants, free people and slaves, and pagans, Jews and Christians—to offer us insight into the spiritual interpretation of scripture that is at the foundation of Christianity.The Gospel of Philip: Annotated and Explained unravels the discourses, parables and sayings of this second-century text to explore a spiritual, non-literal interpretation of the Bible. Along with his elegant and accurate new translation from the original Coptic, Andrew Phillip Smith probes the symbolism and metaphors at the heart of the Gospel of Philip to reveal otherwise unrecorded sayings of Jesus, fragments of Gnostic mythology and parallels to the teachings of Jesus and Paul. He also examines the joyful imagery of rebirth, salvation and mystical union in the bridal chamber that was the pursuit of Christian Gnosticism.Now you can experience this ancient Gospel even if you have no previous knowledge of early Christianity or Gnostic thought. This SkyLight Illuminations edition provides important insights into the historical context and major themes of the Gospel of Philip, and gives you a deeper understanding of the Gospel’s overarching message: deciphering our own meaning behind the symbols of this world increases and enriches our understanding of God.

The wisdom from these stories can become a companion on your own spiritual journey.Native American Stories of the Sacred are intended for more than entertainment: they are teaching tales containing elegantly simple illustrations of time-honored truths. From tales of Creation to "Why?" stories that help explain the natural world around us, these stories highlight the sacredness of all life and affirm that we are each an integral part of all that is holy.Drawn from tribes across North America, these are careful retellings of traditional stories such as Son of Light's quest to win back his captured wife from the monstrous Man-Eagle; humble Muskrat’s noble self-sacrifice to establish solid land so other beings might live; Water Spider’s creative solution for retrieving fire for all the animals; and White Buffalo Calf Woman’s profound gift of the sacred pipe to the people. Each of the compelling stories in this collection illustrates principles that can guide you on your own spiritual quest.Now you can experience the wisdom of these teaching tales even if you have no previous knowledge of Native American traditions. SkyLight Illuminations provides insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that explains the cultural and spiritual significance of the seemingly mundane objects found in these stories—tobacco, gambling, even the exploits of mischievous tricksters such as Coyote and Weasel—while gracefully drawing comparisons to Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions, among others. Whatever your spiritual heritage, these Native American stories of the sacred are sure to delight and inspire you with the sacredness of all Creation, and remind you that the earth does not belong to us—we belong to the earth.

The enduring wisdom of the Tao Te Ching can become a companion for your own spiritual journey.Reportedly written by a sage named Lao Tzu over 2,500 years ago, the Tao Te Ching is one of the most succinct—and yet among the most profound—spiritual texts ever written. Short enough to read in an afternoon, subtle enough to study for a lifetime, the Tao Te Ching distills into razor-sharp poetry centuries of spiritual inquiry into the Tao—the "Way" of the natural world around us that reveals the ultimate organizing principle of the universe.Derek Lin's insightful commentary, along with his new translation from the original Chinese—a translation that sets a whole new standard for accuracy—will inspire your spiritual journey and enrich your everyday life. It highlights the Tao Te Ching’s insights on simplicity, balance, and learning from the paradoxical truths you can see all around you: finding strength through flexibility (because bamboo bends, it is tough to break); achieving goals by transcending obstacles (water simply flows around rocks on its way to the sea); believing that small changes bring powerful results (a sapling, in time, grows into a towering tree).Now you can experience the wisdom and power of Lao Tzu’s words even if you have no previous knowledge of the Tao Te Ching. SkyLight Illuminations provides insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that describes helpful historical background, explains the Tao Te Ching’s poetic imagery, and elucidates the ancient Taoist wisdom that will speak to your life today and energize your spiritual quest.

At the heart of Judaism is an ethical imperative to live life from your true self, as the image and likeness of God. To do this, you must see the greatness of God manifest in all things, and therefore engage each moment with grace, humility, and justice. This imperative flowers in the words of the early Rabbis (250 BCE-250 CE), who captured God's call to be holy in Pirke Avot, a collection of pithy sayings on how best to live an ethical life. This engaging introduction to the wisdom sayings of the rabbinic sages puts you in direct conversation with them, allowing the sages to speak directly to you about what matters in life and how to live it with dignity. With fresh, contemporary translation and provocative commentary, Rabbi Rami Shapiro focuses on the central themes in this Jewish wisdom compendium-study, kindness, compassion. He clarifies the rabbinic proverbs and parables in order to expose the ethical principles at their root. By recalling the ancient voices of the rabbinic sages, he shows us the contemporary significance of their timeless wisdom and distills Pirke Avot not as a book about ethics but as a practical guide to living ethically today. Now you can experience the wisdom of the early Rabbis even if you have no previous knowledge of Judaism or rabbinic literature. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents the ethical teachings of the rabbinic sages, with insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that conveys Pirke Avot's core challenge of God to the Jewish people, and through them all humanity: We are to be holy as God is holy. We are to be, in a human way, what God is in a divine way.

The Apostle Paul, who wrote many of the books in the New Testament, was a fearless and revolutionary religious innovator. In a society where slaveholding was commonplace and women were little more than servants, he preached a groundbreaking equality founded on a new spiritual identity. In an imperial political system that demanded unquestioning allegiance, Paul told his readers they were citizens of heaven. Yet Paul diverged from many of Jesus' own teachings about the world and God's kingdom, and his writings have been used to justify slavery, defend violence toward women and vilify followers of other religious paths. With fresh translations from the original Greek and insightful yet unobtrusive commentary, Ron Miller guides you through the complexities of Paul's writings. He explores Paul's limitations and sometimes harmful legacy, but, also, highlights Paul's deep connection with God's Spirit. This connection led to Paul's penetrating insights on how to live a life filled with spiritual vigour, experience profound joy even in the face of trouble, and understand the fundamental power of love to overcome any obstacle. Whether you are familiar with Paul's writings or have no previous knowledge of them, this SkyLight Illuminations volume will open a door to let you experience the power of Paul's words for yourself.

For some people, the Bible's perspectives on sex may seem too one-dimensional or antiquated to apply to modern-day life. Others may hold up the Bible as the ultimate moral guideline when it comes to sex and human sexuality. A close reading of the Bible reveals that while its rules and lessons about sex and sexuality may not be applicable to all people at all times, this sacred scripture does offer surprising insight into our modern sexual lives. This intriguing guide demystifies the Bible, synthesising basic historical, theological, literary and linguistic ideas about the Bible's texts with our modern attitudes about sex. Thoughtful new translation and provocative commentary bridge the divide between biblical authority and our present-day views on gender roles, marriage, sexual orientation, virginity, lust and sexual pleasure. Drawing from Hebrew and Christian scripture, it examines the ways that the language of religion and the language of sex intersect. Now you can discover what the Bible says about sex with no previous background in theology or religious history. This SkyLight Illuminations edition offers insightful and engaging commentary that explains the historical context and religious worldviews of those who wrote the Bible as well as the role their perspectives play in current social debates. You will be encouraged to form your own opinion about what the Bible has to say about sex and gain a deeper understanding of your own sexuality.

Just what is a soul, exactly? Where did the idea come from? How do we experience our souls? Two ancient Gnostic texts - The Exegesis on the Soul and The Hymn of the Pearl, both presented here in all-new translations - hold important clues to the development of the soul as a concept and reveal inspiring ways your own soul can remember and return to its unique, divine purpose. The Exegesis on the Soul depicts the soul as a feminine figure who has fallen into the corrupted world and must find her way back to the Divine. It is the story of the soul's struggle and redemption that will embolden your own spiritual pilgrimage. The Hymn of the Pearl is an allegorical story about a prince sent to retrieve a precious pearl but who soon forgets his purpose and falls asleep. It is a moving tale of the importance of remembering your soul's identity and calling - and knowing that only you can fulfil your destiny.  Accessible facing-page commentary explains the Gnostic writings for you even if you have no previous knowledge of Gnosticism or early Christianity. Additional material draws on ancient religions, Platonism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam and modern philosophical and psychological notions of the soul to place the Gnostic teachings in a clear historical context. By following the development of this concept through time, you will more clearly perceive-and respond to-the divine spark found in your own soul.

For many in the West, the teachings of the Qur'an are often enshrouded in mystery and fear. Yet Islam's holy book gave birth to one of the most powerful and enlightened civilisations the world has ever seen. By the sixteenth century, Muslim culture stretched from India to Africa to Europe, preserving with it the ancient learning that helped spawn the Renaissance. With its interwoven ideas of faith and reason, justice and mercy, the path of Islam - which literally means "surrendering to God's will" - offers a uniquely focused and balanced approach to living life with a profound awareness of God. With gentleness and insight, Sohaib N. Sultan leads you through the central themes of both the Qur'an and the collected sayings of Prophet Muhammad, known as hadith. These teachings dispel common misconceptions about Muslim beliefs and offer practical guidance for your own spiritual journey, from understanding the merciful nature of God; to cultivating peace and justice in the self, family and society; to answering questions about the afterlife and how to attain it. Now you can experience the wisdom of Qur'anic teachings even if you have no previous knowledge of Islam or Muslim writings. Insightful yet unobtrusive facing-page commentary explains the texts for you, allowing you to enter into the path of surrender to God.

Stoicism is often portrayed as a cheerless, stiff-upper-lip philosophy of suffering and doom. Yet as experienced through the thoughtful and penetrating writings of Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180 CE), the Stoic approach to life is surprisingly rich, nuanced, clear-eyed and friendly. With facing-page commentary that explains the texts for you, Russell McNeil guides you through key passages from Arelius's Meditations, comprised of the emperor's collected personal journal entries, to uncover the startlingly modern relevance his words have today. From devotion to family and duty to country, to a near-prophetic view of the natural world that aligns with modern physics, Aurelius's words speak as potently today as they did two millennia ago. Now you can discover the tenderness, intelligence and honesty of Aurelius's writings with no previous background in philosophy or the classics. This SkyLight Illuminations edition offers insightful and engaging commentary that explains the historical background of Stoicism, as well as the ways this ancient philosophical system can offer psychological and spiritual insight into your contemporary life. You will be encouraged to explore and challenge Aurelius's ideas of what makes a fulfilling life - and in so doing you may discover new ways of perceiving happiness.

Written 2,500 years ago by Chinese general Sun Tzu, THE ART OF WAR is a masterpiece of military strategy still used in war colleges around the world. Yet its principles transcend warfare and have practical applications to all the conflicts and crises we face in our lives - in our workplaces, our families, even within ourselves.Thomas Huynh guides you through Sun Tzu's masterwork, highlighting principles that encourage a perceptive and spiritual approach to conflict, enabling you to:·Prevent conflicts before they arise·Peacefully resolve conflicts when they do arise·Act with courage, intelligence and benevolence in adversarial situations·Convert potential enemies into friends·Control your emotions before they control you

The three principal infancy gospels-the Infancy Gospel of James, the Book of Joseph the High Priest, and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas-are accounts of the birth and early life of Mary and of the birth and early life of Jesus. These apocryphal stories are fictions but nevertheless of great historical interest in terms of the beliefs and storytelling of early Christians, for they are the sources of well-known Christian legends as well as some of Christianity's beloved heroes and heroines. Now you can experience the mystery and amusement of these charming folktales without any previous knowledge of early Christian history or thought. This SkyLight Illuminations edition offers insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that explains references and philosophical terms, shares inspiring interpretations of famous spiritual teachers, and gives you a deeper understanding of the sources of devotion Christians feel for the holy infant Jesus. Sharing these folktales told by the ordinary people of early Christianity provides access to the great insight these writings offer into the Christian people's religion of ancient times rather than to the religion of the literate elites

Tanya, "It Was Taught," is one of the most powerful and potentially transformative books of Jewish wisdom. Written in 1797 by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidism, Tanya sets forth the fundamentals of Jewish spirituality and mysticism. While a focus of daily study by tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews, Tanya is little known outside the world of Jewish mysticism. Until now, its kabbalistic terms and esoteric language have made this essential text of Jewish spirituality inaccessible to most readers.In this accessible volume, Rami Shapiro offers a contemporary English translation of key selections of the Hebrew text coupled with commentary designed to clarify and amplify the wisdom it contains. He brings the genius of Tanya to readers seeking to deepen their understanding of the soul and how it relates to and manifests the Divine Source from which all life comes, in which all life lives, and to which all life returns.The SkyLight Illuminations series offers today's spiritual seeker an enjoyable entry into the great classic texts of the world's spiritual traditions. Each classic is presented in an accessible translation, with facing pages of guided commentary from experts, offering readers the keys they need to understand the history, context and meaning of the text. The series enables readers of all backgrounds to experience and understand classic spiritual texts directly, and to make them a part of their lives.

Augustine of Hippo (354-430), priest, bishop and theologian, is one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity. He is known as much for his long interior struggle that ended with conversion and baptism at age thirty-two as for his influential teachings on human will, original sin and the theology of just war. Cherished as a model for the pursuit of a life of spiritual grace and criticized for his theory of predestination, Augustine is recognized as a living expression of the passion to understand and communicate the deeper meanings of human experience.With fresh translations drawn from Augustine's voluminous writings and probing facing-page commentary, Augustinian scholar Dr. Joseph Kelley provides insight into the mind and heart of this foundational Christian figure. Kelley illustrates how Augustine's keen intellect, rhetorical skill and passionate faith reshaped the theological language and dogmatic debates of early Christianity. He explores the stormy religious arguments and political upheavals of the fifth century, Augustine's controversial teachings on predestination, sexuality and marriage and the deep undercurrents of Augustine's spiritual quest that still inspire Christians today.

Many consider Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali the all-time greatest scholar of Islam. One of the great legal scholars of his time (1058-1111), he was, also, one of the foremost scholars of theology, philosophy and Sufism. In the realm of Sufism, his writings on the interrelation of law, theology and mysticism were central in establishing Sufism as a core dimension of Orthodox Islamic practice. Muslim communities all across the world today still base much of their practice of Islam on Ghazali's writings. Forty Foundations of the Religion is Ghazali's own summary of his magnum opus, The Revival of Religious Knowledge, which he described as the 'very essence of the knowledge of the Qur'an'. The Foundations are a brief and powerful summary of Islamic faith, worship, law and spirituality.This is the first publication of significant portions of the Foundations in English. Original translations of selected highlights are accompanied by insightful commentary that makes the core message of this great spiritual master relevant to anyone seeking a balanced understanding of Islam. This volume will ,also, attract those who are interested in Eastern spirituality, Sufism and interfaith dialogue. Foundations offers a concise and affordable alternative to the extensive (and expensive) translations of the original Revival of Religious Knowledge.

Two thousdand, three hundred years ago an unnamed Hebrew sage known only as Koheleth, the Teacher, rocked the ancient Jewish world with a critique of society that shattered conventional notions of God, piety, politics and power. Speaking to a world not unlike our own - a world of increasing disparity between the haves and the have-nots, where corruption is rampant from the king to the courts, where the good suffer and the wicked prosper and where religion posits an idea of God that excuses the brutality of men - Koheleth offers a radically new view of life and how best to live it. Beginning with its opening broadside: "Hevel havalim!" - not futility or vanity as most translations would have it, but "breath, vapour and impermanence," ECCLESIASTES teaches you how to live in a world where nothing lasts and justice is illusory; a world devoted to accumulating power, wealth, pleasure and even knowledge that leaves you drowning in anxiety and needless suffering. Neither revelation nor prophecy, ECCLESIASTES is a rational and counter-cultural guide to living with joy in the midst of uncertainty and insecurity. Ecclesiastes' God demands neither sacrifice nor adherence to commandments, but offers instead a practical lifestyle rooted in moderation, meaningful work and friendship. Rabbi Shapiro's translation of and commentary on ECCLESIASTES restores this ancient text to its timeless place as a guide to living sanely in an often insane world.

The timeless wisdom of this classic Taoist text can become a companion on your own spiritual journey.The Chuang-tzu is the second major text of the Taoist tradition. It was compiled in the third century BCE and follows the lead of the best-known and oldest of all Taoist texts, the Tao-te-ching (Book of the Tao and Its Potency). Representing the philosophy of its main author, Chuang Chou, along with several other early Taoist strands, the text has inspired spiritual seekers for over two thousand years.Using parable, anecdote, allegory and paradox, the Chuang-tzu presents the central message of what was to become the Taoist school: a reverence for the Tao—the "Way" of the natural world—and the belief that you are not truly virtuous until you are free from the burden of circumstance, personal attachments, tradition and the desire to reform the world. In this special SkyLight Illuminations edition, leading Taoist scholar Livia Kohn, PhD, provides a fresh, modern translation of key selections from this timeless text to open up classic Taoist beliefs and practices. She provides insightful, accessible commentary that highlights the Chuang-tzu's call to reject artificially imposed boundaries and distinctions, and illustrates how you can live a more balanced, authentic and joyful life—at ease in perfect happiness—by following Taoist principles.

The forgotten truths of Celtic Christianity provide a portal into a spiritual way of experiencing the world.The Celtic Christians beheld the world around them and perceived the divine life of God as upholding every aspect of the material universe. Their prayers and poems, their liturgies and theological interpretations give Christians a sense of faith that is confident in a merciful and infinitely creative, healing God.In this introduction to Celtic Christian spirituality, Mary Earle presents primary texts from the Celtic Christian tradition—selections from the works of Pelagius, Eriugena and St. Patrick, as well as prayers and poems from Wales, the Outer Hebrides and Ireland. These essential writings direct humanity to read the "book of creation" as well as the Bible, and call us to remember that “matter matters.” Earle's engaging facing-page commentary explores how faithful Christians and spiritual seekers can take inspiration from this lively tradition’s ways of embodying and living the gospel. Topics include:CreationDaily life and workIncarnationPilgrimageBlessingSocial justicePrayer

The wisdom of Confucius, China's greatest teacher and sage, can guide each of us in our own time.Twenty-six centuries after their origination, the principles laid down in the Analects of Confucius still act as the foundation of Chinese philosophy, ethics, society and government, and play a formative role in the development of many Eastern philosophies. In this intriguing look at the ethical and spiritual meaning of the Analects, Rodney L. Taylor, the foremost American researcher of Confucius as a religious and spiritual figure, explains their profound and universal wisdom for our own time. He shows how Confucius advocates learning and self-cultivation to follow the "path of the sage" or "Way of Heaven"—a journey that promises to promote reason, peace and understanding.Alongside an updated version of the classic translation by Sinologist James Legge, Taylor provides informative and accessible commentary that illuminates the meaning behind selected passages from the Analects and their insights on character development, respect and reverence, and the nature of learning, goodness, truthfulness and righteousness.

John Wesley (1703-1791), Anglican priest, theologian and church reformer and his brother, Charles Wesley (1707-1788), one of the greatest hymn writers of all time, co-founded Methodism, a major movement of Christian renewal. Their vision of Christian discipleship included important spiritual practices that fuelled the revival of the eighteenth-century Church of England. Their holistic theology/spirituality affords guidance for the contemporary spiritual seeker who yearns for greater meaning and purpose in life.This unique presentation of the writings of these two inspiring brothers brings together some of the most essential material from their large corpus of work. While John articulated his vision of Christianity through many sermons, journals and theological treatises, Charles expressed his theology in lyrical form through some nine thousand hymns and devotional poems.These excerpts from Charles and John Wesley, with probing facing-page commentary, will provide insight not only into the renewal of dynamic and vital Christianity, but into the struggles and concerns of all who seek to be faithful participants in God's vision of love in every age.

More than commonplace truisms, the biblical Book of Proverbs is an anthology of teachings designed to help you live with a sense of self-responsibility. Its wisdom, compiled in the seventh century BCE and credited to King Solomon, transcends nationality and politics, addressing instead the individual seeking the true satisfaction and tranquillity that comes from living with an honest perception of reality.In this fresh translation of an ancient "how-to," Rami Shapiro unpacks the proverbs, demonstrating how these complex poetic forms are actually straightforward instructions to live simply, without rationalisations and excuses. He shows how unlike almost anything else in the Hebrew Bible, the truths claimed in the Book of Proverbs are testable and verifiable. They force us to examine our lives and how we are living them without the benefit of psychological sophistry and New Age babble: We are either doing good or doing bad; we are either disciplined or lazy; we are either students of wisdom or puppets of desire.Now you can experience the Book of Proverbs and understand Solomon's teachings with no previous knowledge of the Hebrew Bible. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents insightful commentary that shares these timeless principles and encourages us to put them into practice in ways that are uniquely our own.

No Jewish thinker has had a more significant impact on Jewish religious thought than Moses Maimonides (1138-1204). A mediaeval philosopher whose vision covered an extensive range, he created a method of mediating between revelation and reason that laid the groundwork for a rational, philosophically sophisticated Judaism. He, also, provided an approach to biblical interpretation and philosophy that remains relevant for people of all faiths who follow a religion based on sacred text and oral interpretation.In this accessible examination of Maimonides's theological and philosophical teachings, Rabbi Marc D. Angel opens up for us Maimonides's views on the nature of God, providence, prophecy, free will, human nature, repentance and more. He explores basic concepts of faith that Maimonides posits must serve as the basis for proper religious life. He, also, examines Maimonides's insights on reward and punishment, messianic days, the world to come and other tenets of Jewish faith.Now you can experience the wisdom of Maimonides even if you have no previous knowledge of Judaism or Jewish philosophy. SkyLight Illuminations provides insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that reveals why Maimonides's teachings continue to have profound relevance to those seeking an intellectually vibrant understanding of Judaism.