Spirituality in the Selfie Culture of Instagram


Book Description

This explorative study of personal spiritual expressions on Instagram generated important data in relation to the emerging field of cyberspirituality and showed the need for further development and research. The book reveals several forms of spirituality present on Instagram, mainly belonging to secular spirituality. Many spiritual practices emerged in posts from all over the world, demonstrated through photography as spiritual practice. The Internet—and social media in particular—present an opportunity for individuals and communities to develop spiritual narrative when communicating online, especially with young people who are more likely to express themselves as “spiritual but not religious.” Spiritual authenticity on social media, as a part of building spiritual capital, is an important step.




Spiritually Fly


Book Description

From next-generation yoga teacher Faith Hunter comes a real-world guide to feeling more worthy, vibrant, and alive. “You were born with the fullness of your most epic life within you. Knowing your true worth. Feeling vibrant with each breath and magically alive as you navigate the unexpected. When you peel back the layers of crusty emotional baggage and old subconscious loops that keep you small, you are able to step into the brilliance of who you are in your soul, and that makes you Spiritually FlyTM.” —Faith Hunter Global yoga and meditation teacher Faith Hunter is known for her ability to help others remember their inherent worth and live more soulful, joyful lives. Here, Faith shares the seven principles behind her life philosophy—the “Spiritually Fly Sutras”—inspiring each of us to embrace our unique flow, on and off the mat. The Spiritually Fly Sutras are dynamic, sacred principles grounded in movement, breathwork, sound, and self-reflection. When practiced together, Faith teaches, “They have the ability to inspire and ignite an inner revolution.” Throughout Spiritually Fly, Faith shares the stories that led to each sutra with raw vulnerability. A young Black girl in the South whose brother was dying of AIDS contracted from a blood transfusion, she often struggled to trust in spirit and God. Her own spiritual journey brings a fresh, grounded vibe to her teachings, as she seamlessly blends classic yoga wisdom with modern-day living. To help you integrate each sutra into your life, Faith provides a wealth of “SoulPrints”—exercises and reflections including yoga asanas and kriyas, journaling prompts, pranayama, chakra explorations, and practices for each of the “three Ms”: mantra, mudra, and meditation. For anyone ready to live their most epic lives, Spiritually Fly offers a radical guide to shift unhealthy patterns, recharge your soul, and fly.




Ayurveda


Book Description

“A must-read for anyone coming to Ayurveda for the first time or as a readable brush-up for all. Sahara offers a contemporary explanation of Ayurvedic wisdom that resonates with today’s readers.”-Deepak Chopra Discover your Ayurvedic Dosha (mind-body type) and find foods, self-care practices, yoga poses, and meditations that are tailored to your unique needs. Best-selling author Sahara Rose Ketabi makes Ayurveda accessible with this contemporary guide to the world’s oldest health system. Originating in India over 5,000 years ago, Ayurveda is the sister science to yoga. It’s the age-old secret to longevity, digestive health, mental clarity, beauty, and balance that’s regaining popularity today for its tried-and-trued methods. Sahara Rose revitalizes ancient Ayurvedic wisdom with a modern approach and explains how adjusting the timing of your meals; incorporating self-care practices such as dry-brushing, oil-pulling and tongue-scraping; eating the correct foods for your digestive type; and practicing the right yoga and meditation practices for your unique personality will radically enhance your health, digestion, radiance, intuition, and bliss. With Idiot’s Guides: Ayurveda, you will: • Discover your unique Dosha and learn how it is reflected in your physiology, metabolism, digestion, personality, and even in your dreams. • Learn how your body’s needs change according to the season, environment, and time of day • Find ways to regain luster, passion and flow in your life • Enjoy easy-to-make, plant-based recipes • Establish an Ayurvedic morning and nighttime ritual for optimal balance • Learn how to balance your chakras according to your Dosha • Use Ayurvedic herbs and spices to heal digestive issues, skin problems, hormonal imbalance, and other ailments With plenty of fun facts, holistic humor, and sacred knowledge from Sahara that will help you seamlessly integrate Ayurveda into your lifestyle.




The Digital Evangelicals


Book Description

When it comes to evangelical Christianity, the internet is both a refuge and a threat. It hosts Zoom prayer groups and pornographic videos, religious revolutions and silly cat videos. Platforms such as social media, podcasts, blogs, and digital Bibles all constitute new arenas for debate about social and religious boundaries, theological and ecclesial orthodoxy, and the internet's inherent danger and value. In The Digital Evangelicals, Travis Warren Cooper locates evangelicalism as a media event rather than as a coherent religious tradition by focusing on the intertwined narratives of evangelical Christianity and emerging digital culture in the United States. He focuses on two dominant media traditions: media sincerity, immediate and direct interpersonal communication, and media promiscuity, communication with the primary goal of extending the Christian community regardless of physical distance. Cooper, whose work is informed by ethnographic fieldwork, traces these conflicting paradigms from the Protestant Reformation through the rise of the digital and argues that the tension is culminating in a crisis of evangelical authority. What counts as authentic interaction? Who has authority over the circulation of information? While many studies claim that technology influences religion, The Digital Evangelicals reveals how Protestant metaphors and discourses shaped the emergence of the internet and explores what this relationship with global new media means for evangelicalism.




A Child of Magic


Book Description




Soulshaping


Book Description

An engaging, inspirational memoir that takes readers on a soul-searching journey toward heart-consciousness and spiritual authenticity Ever since childhood, Jeff Brown did all the things he was supposed to do to become successful in the eyes of the world. He was on the Dean’s Honor List as an undergraduate. He won the Law and Medicine prize in law school and apprenticed with a top criminal lawyer. It had been Brown’s lifelong dream to practice criminal law and search for the truth in the courtroom. But then, on the verge of opening a law practice, he heard a little voice inside telling him to stop, just stop. With great difficulty, he honored this voice and began a heartfelt quest for the truth that lived within him. Although he didn’t realize it at the time, Brown was actually questing for his innate image, the essential being that he came into this lifetime to embody. He was searching for his authentic face. By going inside and connecting his spirituality with his emotional life, he learned essential lessons. By learning to surrender to the "School of Heart Knocks"—the school of life—the found his authentic face and embraced the call to write. Soulshaping is an inspiring memoir for anyone who has heard a whisper of something truer calling out to them amid the distractions of modern life. Jeff’s dramatic and often funny story takes readers through remarkably human experiences—emotional, physical, and economic—as he vividly recounts his journey to discover his soul’s purpose. A work of courageous self-creation, Soulshaping reminds us that we are all truly connected, that our seemingly isolated struggles are actually part of the shared human challenge to live a life that is heart-centered and soul-driven.




Bibliophile: Diverse Spines


Book Description

It's time to diversify your reading list. This richly illustrated and vastly inclusive collection uplifts the works of authors who are often underrepresented in the literary world. Using their keen knowledge and deep love for all things literary, coauthors Jamise Harper (founder of the Diverse Spines book community) and Jane Mount (author of Bibliophile) collaborated to create an essential volume filled with treasures for every reader: • Dozens of themed illustrated book stacks—like Classics, Contemporary Fiction, Mysteries, Cookbooks, and more—all with an emphasis on authors of color and own voices • A look inside beloved bookstores owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color • Reading recommendations from leading BIPOC literary influencers Diversify your reading list to expand your world and shift your perspective. Kickstart your next literary adventure now! EASY TO GIFT: This portable guide is packed with more than 150 colorful illustrations is a perfect gift for any booklover. The textured paper cover, gold foil, and ribbon marker make this book a special gift or self-purchase. DISCOVER UNSUNG LITERARY HEROES: The authors dive deep into a wide variety of genres, such as Contemporary Fiction, Classics, Young Adult, Sci-Fi, and more to bring the works of authors of color to the fore. ENDLESS READING INSPIRATION: Themed book stacks and reading suggestions from luminaries of the literary world provide curated book recommendations. Your to-read list will thank you. Perfect for: bookish people; literary lovers; book club members; Mother's Day shoppers; stocking stuffers; followers of #DiverseSpines; Jane Mount and Ideal Bookshelf fans; Reese's Book Club and Oprah's Book Club followers; people who use Goodreads.com; readers wanting to expand/decolonize their book collections; people interested in uplifting BIPOC voices; antiracist activists and educators; grads and students; librarians and library patrons wanting to expand/decolonize their book collections; people interested in uplifting BIPOC voices; antiracist activists and educators; grads and students; librarians and library patrons




Overliked


Book Description

Wall Street Journal and USA Bestseller How to Connect with What’s Most Important in a Hyperconnected World Social media has the power to do a lot of good, but it can also get in the way of authenticity and create a sense of disillusionment. In Overliked, pastor and author Rob Singleton asks readers to take a closer look at the optics in their lives and in the world around them. This is a book about understanding how to see “likes” and “selfie” culture for what they really are and how to connect with the heart of God to build out a new way of thinking about social image. We have technology and social tools all at our disposal, but when we recognize that so many in our culture now look for acceptance in how they’re perceived, feel pressure to project something about themselves that isn’t true, or take action based on facts that have been spun, that’s a problem that runs deep. Singleton shows readers how to find their way through the complexities by pointing them to God, who created truth, genuine love, and meaningful relationships. Written for those who believe—for this generation and the next—that they need to get a better handle on what’s real in this culture and in the lives of those they care about, this book brings authenticity and hope to the center of it all. Singleton offers powerful insights into how we can better leverage the information in the world around us without losing who we are. When we begin to see the real us behind the avatars, we gain the clarity we need to live better, love bigger, and become who we were always meant to be.




I Love My Selfie


Book Description

What explains our current obsession with selfies? In I Love My Selfie noted cultural critic Ilan Stavans explores the selfie's historical and cultural roots by discussing everything from Greek mythology and Shakespeare to Andy Warhol, James Franco, and Pope Francis. He sees selfies as tools people use to disguise or present themselves as spontaneous and casual. This collaboration includes a portfolio of fifty autoportraits by the artist ADÁL; he and Stavans use them as a way to question the notion of the self and to engage with artists, celebrities, technology, identity, and politics. Provocative and engaging, I Love My Selfie will change the way readers think about this unavoidable phenomenon of twenty-first-century life.




Girl Defined


Book Description

In a Culture of Distortions, Discover God-Defined Womanhood and Beauty In a culture where airbrushed models and career-driven women define beauty and success, it's no wonder we have a distorted view of femininity. Our impossible standards place an incredible burden of stress on the backs of women and girls of all ages, resulting in anxiety, eating disorders, and depression. One question we often forget to ask is this: What is God's design for womanhood? In Girl Defined, sisters and popular bloggers Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal offer women a countercultural view of beauty, femininity, and self-worth. Based firmly in God's design for their lives, this book helps women rethink what true success and beauty look like. It invites them on a liberating journey toward a radically better vision for femininity that ends with the discovery of the kind of hope, purpose, and fulfillment they've been yearning for. Girl Defined helps readers · discover God's design for femininity and his definition of a successful woman · uncover the secrets of lasting worth, purpose, and fulfillment · be equipped and empowered to live out a radically better vision for womanhood · gain personal insight through the chapter-by-chapter study guide