Cosmic Adultery


Book Description

‘My name is Mary Theobold,’ she said, when it was her turn to speak. Ralf’s head swivelled of its own accord to look at her. Her voice seemed to take hold of him. She continued, ‘I’m a playwright, an actor and an author. My books and my plays are autobiographical. They describe how I live and work at the threshold between the living and dead. I’m very pleased to have been invited to speak at the conference and I look forward very much to the coming week.’ Ralf was hardly breathing.In the pleasant Northern summer of 2006, a chance meeting at an anthroposophical conference opens the portal of initiation for psychotherapist Ralf Pinton and author Mary Theobold when, through a powerful mutual attraction, they meet forces of karma that will test the limit of their morality and the strength of their spiritual conviction. They embark on a clandestine relationship through emails, texts and phone calls but the shock of a kundalini experience (a process of awakening) catapults Mary and Ralf so deeply into the conundrum of their destiny that they lose sight of the effect their reliance on technology is having on their relationship. Mary is offered a way out of the maze through the cryptic appearance of the Grail Cup but Ralf casts doubt on its authenticity and on Mary’s spiritual discernment. Is it the true Grail Cup or mere intellectual trickery? Is Ralf trying to protect Mary from a serious spiritual mistake or is he trying to undermine her for his own dark motive and purpose?This debut novel is the first book in a trilogy. It takes the reader through the dramatic and shifting soulscapes that must be traversed by modern spiritual seekers who dare to stand face to face with the riddle of truth. Cosmic Adultery is a fictionalised sequel to author Kelly Connor's groundbreaking memoir, To Cause A Death. Kelly is inspired by many authors including Rudolf Steiner, Yann Martel, Philippa Gregory, Alice Sebold and Hilary Mantel.




Visions of a Tibetan Master: Through Chaos to Logos


Book Description

Through Chaos to Logos provides a first-hand account of the powers behind creation and the role that those powers play in contemporary society. It is the defining work of a turn of the Century medium and Spiritual Teacher. The main body of this visionary work was written at the dawning of the "New Age," when the energy of the Himalayan Adepts spilled into the consciousness of the Western Mystic, giving birth to Western Mystery Schools such as the Rosicrucian Order, Builders of the Adytum, and the Theosophical and St. Germane Societies under the influence of certain Tibetan Masters -- primarily the renowned Koot Hoomi Lal Singh with whom Dorjie communicated for a period of 10 years.




Integral Voices on Sex, Gender, and Sexuality


Book Description

This volume takes a unique approach to the question of what it is to be a gendered, sexual self in a postmodern world, offering insights informed by the Integral paradigm of theory and practice. With the inquiry into sex, gender, and sexuality having become so broad and diverse within both academia and popular culture, the Integral approach can help sift through and make sense of the cacophony of theories and agendas that seek to stake their ground in this collective conversation. Informed by the work of thinkers such as Sri Aurobindo, Gregory Bateson, Jean Gebser, Ervin Laszlo, and, most directly, Ken Wilber, the Integral approach acknowledges and works with multiple and contradictory experiences, theories, and realities. Dealing with a variety of topics, including feminism, the men's movement, sexual identity, queer history, and spirituality, the work's contributors speak from across the spectrum of personal and political backgrounds, academic and practitioner orientations, and male and female perspectives. The combination of voices aims to bring forward a more complex and integrated understanding of what it means to be woman, man, human.




Mangrove Man


Book Description

The first modern ethnography of the Murik, a relatively large and important community settled on the Sepik River estuary in Papua New Guinea.




The Great Religions


Book Description

Taking a radical departure from the usual comparative study of religion, Pietro Archiati shows that the various religions represent stages in each individual's path of development. In this sense the Great Religions create an absolute unity--not in what they say or teach, but in their contribution to each of us becoming ever more human. Beginning with the Flood of Atlantis, Archiati places the religions in the context of human evolution, taking us through the development of Buddhism, Zarathustrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and onwards to the future of religion based on spiritual reality. For example, Archiati considers how the founders of the various religions are working today. Are the Buddha, Krishna, Moses and Zarathustra doing and telling us the same things now as they were in the past, even though humanity has undergone considerable changes since?




Chaucer and the Death of the Political Animal


Book Description

Drawing from classical myth, the history of philosophy, literature, film, music, and painting, Workman connects the artistic claims of Chaucer and tests them against similar gestures in the history of philosophy and literature. What results is a radical retake on Chaucer as a philosopher and poet, upending any preconceived views.




Cosmos and Society in Oceania


Book Description

Current anthropology uses expressions such as 'society as a whole', 'socio-cosmic relations', 'spatiotemporal extension', 'global ideology', and 'cosmomorphy' to establish that the clear-cut Western dichotomy between society and cosmos is not always to be found in the communities it studies. In fact, many elements that the West would at first undoubtedly classify as belonging either to the cosmos or to the society appear very often in Melanesia as belonging to neither one of these domains, but to a realm which combines the attributes of both. Focusing on different examples drawn from diverse Melanesian societies, this thought-provoking volume by eminent specialists re-examines the relationship between society and cosmos and, in the process, opens new directions for research.




The Archangel Michael


Book Description

"The Michael age has dawned. Hearts begin to have thoughts. Enthusiasm no longer flows from mystical obscurity, but from the inner clarity that thought conveys. To grasp this is to receive Michael into one's soul. Thoughts that today seek to grasp the spirit must spring from hearts that beat for Michael as the fiery cosmic prince of thought." --Rudolf Steiner For centuries, the tradition of the "mystical chronology" of the world's seven archangelic regents has been part of Western esoteric teaching. According to this tradition, 1879 marked the return of the solar spirit Michael --the archangel of the Sun --to oversee earthly evolution. Steiner always placed his life and work in the service of Michael's evolutionary task. And he recognized that, at the beginning of the twentieth century, humanity emerged from the Kali Yuga --the Dark Age --and entered the Age of Light. Against this background, Steiner described the ascent of Michael as cosmic ruler, his battle with the "dragon" of the spirits of darkness, and his roles as the countenance of Christ and the guardian of cosmic intelligence. He also gave many profound indications of how Michael's evolutionary task depends on the free and independent collaboration of human coworkers. Speaking on behalf of Michael, Steiner laid out the essentials for a new Michaelic path to full humanity. Among the elements of this path are the development of selfless individuality; cosmopolitanism; the practice of the presence of Christ; fearlessness; the transformation of thinking and perception in a new synthesis of science, art, and religion; the spiritualization of space; and the separation of thought from language. The Archangel Michael gathers most of Steiner's statements on this subject, making it an important source for coming to terms with today's political, social, psychological, and spiritual crises.




The Vanishing Hebrew Harlot


Book Description

The Vanishing Hebrew Harlot is written with two objectives: First, to recover the core meaning of the Hebrew stem ZNH as a complex of non-Yahwist rituals, deities, institutions and beliefs prevalent in ancient Israel and Judah. With this understanding, the author assigns the translation value «participate in non-Yahwist religious praxis» to ZNH. The second objective is to understand how this core meaning came to be encrusted with promiscuity, prostitution, and detestable things, and, above all, with adultery, a capital offense, as well as with religious contamination and its destructive consequences. In the biblical texts, the stem ZNH, which encompasses a complex of non-Yahwist religious practices, operates in a powerful, adversarial relationship to the Yahwist complex of religious practices. Since non-Yahwist sacrifices signify the repudiation of Yahweh, non-Yahwist sacrifices arouse fierce opposition. The prophets Hosea and Jeremiah grasp this adversarial relationship and in their advocacy for Yahweh infuse non-Yahwist praxis with images of illicit sexual encounters and with the production of religious contamination that will lead to the devastation of Israel and Judah and to the exile of their inhabitants. The new structure of ZNH that emerges with Hosea and Jeremiah is one that re-visions ZNH activities by incorporating repugnant sexual imagery and devastating theological contamination into the core of non-Yahwist praxis. However, ZNH also has a sexual signification in contexts that are independent of and distinct from cultic contexts. The stem ZNH is examined in its Ancient Near Eastern environment, but the thrust of this research is the analysis of ZNH in its Hebrew textual environment using concepts from cognitive linguistics: network of associations, associated commonplaces, and blending.




The Savior's Journey: The Life of Jesus Christ


Book Description

Embark on a soul-stirring odyssey through the sacred pages of "The Savior's Journey," a poignant and illuminating exploration of the life of Jesus Christ. This meticulously crafted book unfolds like a tapestry, weaving together the threads of divinity and humanity, offering readers an intimate glimpse into the transformative journey of the Savior. From the hallowed echoes of Bethlehem's manger to the profound teachings resonating across the hills of Galilee, each chapter unfurls the narrative of a life that transcends time. Delve into the wisdom of parables, witness the miracles that defy earthly bounds, and join the crowds who sought solace in the presence of a compassionate healer. As the pages turn, the poignant relationships that shaped Jesus' path come to life—the camaraderie of disciples, the tender exchanges with Mary Magdalene, and the divine connections that define his purpose. "The Savior's Journey" invites readers to witness the profound humanity of a figure whose impact has reverberated through centuries. This book does not shy away from the trials that marked Jesus' destiny—the poignant Last Supper, the harrowing betrayal, and the sacrificial crucifixion that echoed through the hills of Golgotha. In each chapter, the narrative captures the essence of a life lived with purpose, love, and an unwavering commitment to a divine mission. "The Savior's Journey" transcends the boundaries of time and space, presenting a masterful blend of historical accuracy and poignant storytelling. It is a testament to the enduring legacy of Jesus Christ, exploring themes of faith, redemption, and the eternal significance of a life that continues to inspire and guide countless souls. Immerse yourself in the pages of "The Savior's Journey," and discover anew the timeless and universal truths that illuminate the path of the one who proclaimed, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."