Download or read book The Sacred Art of Fasting written by Rev. Thomas Ryan, CSP and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2012-04-12 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Open your mind and heart and discover how the sacred art of fasting can strengthen your spiritual appetite Fasting as a religious act increases our sensitivity to that mystery always and everywhere present to us.... It is an invitation to awareness, a call to compassion for the needy, a cry of distress, and a song of joy. It is a discipline of self-restraint, a ritual of purification, and a sanctuary for offerings of atonement. It is a wellspring for the spiritually dry, a compass for the spiritually lost, and inner nourishment for the spiritually hungry. —from chapter 9 Though fasting is practiced in some form by nearly every faith tradition throughout the world, it is often seen as scary or something only for monastic life. But fasting doesn’t have to be intimidating. And it doesn’t have to mean going weeks without food. The Sacred Art of Fasting invites you to explore the practical approaches, spiritual motivations, and physical benefits of this ancient practice by looking at the ways it is observed in several faith traditions. Inspiring personal reflections, helpful advice, and encouragement from people who practice fasting answer your questions, allay your fears, and reveal how you too can safely incorporate fasting into your spiritual life.
Download or read book The Transformational Power of Fasting written by Stephen Harrod Buhner and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-02-02 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fasting practices to reconnect with the sacred, regain a sense of your life’s purpose, and heal physically and emotionally • Details what to expect during your fast physically, emotionally, and spiritually • Provides step-by-step guidelines on preparing for the fast, how long you should fast, what you can and can’t do during the fast, and how to end your fast • Explains how fasting can help or heal many chronic conditions, such as type II diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, psoriasis, and insomnia For millennia humans have fasted for spiritual, emotional, and physical reasons--as a way to heal their bodies, reconnect to the sacred, regain a sense of life’s purpose, and allow their souls to detoxify. We are evolutionarily designed to fast, and the body knows how to do it very well. Fasting allows the body and all its systems to rest, purify, and heal. During a fast, the body enters the same cleansing and healing cycle it normally enters during sleep. As a fast progresses, the body consumes everything that is not essential to bodily functioning--including bacteria, viruses, fibroid tumors, waste products in the blood, buildup around the joints, and stored fat--and the mind and heart release their toxic buildup as well. As Stephen Harrod Buhner reveals, in order to be truly transformed, you must first empty yourself. Offering step-by-step guidelines to fully prepare yourself for a deep fast, Buhner explores what to expect during and after spiritual, emotional, and physical fasting and detoxification. He details the necessary dietary and mental preparations leading up to your fast, what you can and can’t do during a fast, and how to end your fast. He also explains how to plan the length of your fast and how to choose between a water fast, a juice fast, or a mono-diet fast. Revealing how fasting can help or heal many chronic conditions, such as type II diabetes, childhood seizures, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, psoriasis, insomnia, and fibromyalgia, Buhner shows fasting as a way to truly inhabit the body, to experience its sacredness, and to activate its deep capabilities for self-healing.
Download or read book The Power of Prayer and Fasting written by Ronnie Floyd and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2010 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Popular pastor Floyd's insights on the often overlooked, always faith-strengthening discipline of prayer and fasting have been revised for this updated edition.
Download or read book Fasting written by Scot McKnight and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2010-12-27 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Fasting is the body talking what the spirit yearns, what the soul longs for, and what the mind knows to be true.” — Scot McKnight Christianity has traditionally been at odds with the human body. At times in the history of the church, Christians have viewed the body and physical desires as the enemy. Now, Scot McKnight, best-selling author of The Jesus Creed , reconnects the spiritual and the physical in the ancient discipline of fasting. Inside You'll Find: In-depth biblical precedents for the practice of fasting; How to fast effectively—and safely; Different methods of fasting as practiced in the Bible; Straight talk on pitfalls, such as cheating and motivation. Join McKnight as he explores the idea of “whole-body spirituality,” in which fasting plays a central role. This ancient practice, he says, doesn’t make sense to most of us until we have grasped the importance of the body for our spirituality, until we can view it as a spiritual response to a sacred moment. Fasting—simple, primitive, and ancient—still demonstrates a whole person’s earnest need and hunger for the presence of God, just as it has in the lives of God’s people throughout history. The Ancient Practices There is a hunger in every human heart for connection, primitive and raw, to God. To satisfy it, many are beginning to explore traditional spiritual disciplines used for centuries . . . everything from fixed-hour prayer to fasting to sincere observance of the Sabbath. Compelling and readable, the Ancient Practices series is for every spiritual sojourner, for every Christian seeker who wants more.
Download or read book The Sacred Art of Soul Making written by Joseph Naft and published by Joseph Naft. This book was released on 2006-06 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Deep within each of us dwells the source of peace, purpose, and love. Yet we live in the chaotic dissonance of the superficial layers of our hearts and minds. A sea of the most precious spiritual energies surrounds us, inside and out, yet our thirst remains unquenched, our souls malnourished and unformed." (from the Introduction). Bridging East and West, "The Sacred Art of Soul Making" addresses the central questions of spiritual practice with the depth and subtlety they require and with unexpected clarity. As Westerners raised in Christianity or Judaism progress in their Eastern practices, they often find themselves drawn back toward their own religious roots and the search for the Divinity. They may rediscover their need for a personal relationship with the Divine, for the practice of prayer, openness to conscience and the understanding of will found in the monotheistic religions. Many people have not engaged Eastern meditative practices out of devotion to their own religion. Those may well find the inner work forms of presence and meditation, stripped of cultural trappings, to be important adjuncts to the practice of prayer, helping open the way to the sacred depths sought in Western religions. This authentic, substantive, and multi-faceted spirituality for our time begins where we are and ultimately takes us beyond consciousness, toward the abode of the sacred. That sacredness can touch and transform each of us, if we make the necessary, devoted effort. This book helps make that possible.
Download or read book The Sacred Art of Bowing written by Andi Young and published by SkyLight Paths Publishing. This book was released on 2003 with total page 109 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Open your heart, strengthen your spiritual core, and discover how the sacred art of bowing can enrich your spiritual life. "Daily, across America and across the world, people begin their day by bowing. Christians kneel for morning prayers, Muslims turn east to Mecca for the first salat (prayer) of the day, Jews daven (pray), and Buddhists prostrate themselves. Over the course of the day, many more people will find time to pause and, bending their body toward the earth, bow as part of their spiritual practice." --from Chapter 1 The Sacred Art of Bowing serves as a welcoming introduction to the whys and ways of bowing. This ancient tradition--so often mistakenly tagged as only part of Asian cultures--has roots in nearly every religion around the world. In different forms in different faiths, people bow as a physical expression of their spiritual aspirations, humility, gratitude, and respect. A companion for your journey rather than an instruction book, The Sacred Art of Bowing shares helpful insights that will inspire you to begin or deepen your own bowing practice through: A comprehensive look at bowing as practiced in many spiritual traditions Illustrations of bowing in practice Inspiring reflections from people who practice the sacred art of bowing Advice on how you too can incorporate bowing in your daily spiritual life
Download or read book Conversation The Sacred Art written by Diane M. Millis and published by SkyLight Paths Publishing. This book was released on 2013 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cultivate the potential for deeper connection in every conversation. "To think of conversation as a sacred art challenges us to imagine all the conversations in which we participate, from the acquaintance we run into at Target to the dialogue for which we've spent weeks in preparation, as a potentially sacred conversation." --from the Introduction We often find ourselves distracted and overwhelmed by a constant stream of information and demand for connectivity. Now more than ever, we need to develop our capacity for greater presence in our daily lives and relationships. One of the best ways to do this is by improving the quality of our conversations. Dr. Diane M. Millis offers us inspirational stories, insights and spiritual practices from many faith traditions to increase our awareness of the deep, natural holiness waiting to be unlocked in our everyday encounters. This resource is a catalyst for anyone who would like to enrich seemingly ordinary conversations as well as for leaders in educational, ministry and corporate settings who want to: Increase their capacity to listen deeply Become more self-aware and attentive to others Learn how to move beyond conventional topics to exploring purpose, meaning and values in conversation.
Download or read book Recovery The Sacred Art written by Rabbi Rami Shapiro and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2013-10-19 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deepen Your Capacity to Live Free from Addiction—and from Self and Selfishness "Twelve Step recovery is much more than a way to escape the clutches of addictive behaviors. Twelve Step recovery is about freeing yourself from playing God, and since almost everyone is addicted to this game, Twelve Step recovery is something from which everyone can benefit." —from the Introduction In this hope-filled approach to spiritual and personal growth, the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are uniquely interpreted to speak to everyone seeking a freer and more God-centered life. This special rendering makes them relevant to those suffering from specific addictions—alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, sex, shopping—as well as the general addictions we wrestle with daily, such as anger, greed, and selfishness. Rami Shapiro describes his personal experience working the Twelve Steps as adapted by Overeaters Anonymous and shares anecdotes from many people working the Steps in a variety of settings. Drawing on the insights and practices of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Islam, he offers supplementary practices from different religious traditions to help you move more deeply into the universal spirituality of the Twelve Step system.
Download or read book Fasting written by Lynne M. Baab and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2009-09-20 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God." Matthew 5:6 The Message We live in hungry times. Ours is a consumer culture, predisposed to quickly fill the cravings of body and mind. The idea of fasting--the voluntary denial of something for a specific time, for a spiritual purpose--sets us immediately on edge. But Lynne Baab makes the case that anyone can fast. Fasting is an expression of freedom. Free from the patterns and habits that mark everyday life, from time to time we can move beyond our appetites into meaningful encounter with God. In Fasting you'll discover an ancient Christian practice that extends beyond giving up food to any regular activity in our contemporary lives. You'll see how taking a break from eating--or driving, or checking e-mail, or watching television--opens us up to discover new things about ourselves and God and the world around us. You'll see that while not everyone should forgo food, anyone can step out of routine to feed the soul. In a time of great spiritual hunger, God invites us all to a feast: fellowship with the Creator of the universe, where all our truest needs are identified and attended to.
Download or read book The Forgotten Power of Fasting written by Sister Emmanuel and published by Children of Medjugorje. Inc. This book was released on 2020-10-28 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I read your book from cover to cover. Your words completely captivated me and have convinced me on the importance of fasting. I knew already the benefits of fasting, but I wasn’t aware of all its attributes, that you explain so well. Reading this book one discovers fasting. As we know, Our Lady in Medjugorje continuously insists on the importance of fasting, but we avoid putting into practice something when it means we have to make a sacrifice. We struggle to convince ourselves to actually fast. The arguments you present, and the examples that you give in this book, show very clearly the reason why Our Lady insists so persistently on something so precious for the soul and the body, for the apostate on earth and for the souls in Purgatory. I thank you for emphasising such an important topic, very often mentioned in Sacred Scripture, so precious for the living and for the intercession of the dead. The final part of your work, with the words from the saints, will convince even the most reluctant. This book will be nothing less than a true discovery of fasting to whoever reads it. Don Gabriele Amorth
Download or read book Holy Feast and Holy Fast written by Caroline Walker Bynum and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1988-01-07 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the period between 1200 and 1500 in western Europe, a number of religious women gained widespread veneration and even canonization as saints for their extraordinary devotion to the Christian eucharist, supernatural multiplications of food and drink, and miracles of bodily manipulation, including stigmata and inedia (living without eating). The occurrence of such phenomena sheds much light on the nature of medieval society and medieval religion. It also forms a chapter in the history of women. Previous scholars have occasionally noted the various phenomena in isolation from each other and have sometimes applied modern medical or psychological theories to them. Using materials based on saints' lives and the religious and mystical writings of medieval women and men, Caroline Walker Bynum uncovers the pattern lying behind these aspects of women's religiosity and behind the fascination men and women felt for such miracles and devotional practices. She argues that food lies at the heart of much of women's piety. Women renounced ordinary food through fasting in order to prepare for receiving extraordinary food in the eucharist. They also offered themselves as food in miracles of feeding and bodily manipulation. Providing both functionalist and phenomenological explanations, Bynum explores the ways in which food practices enabled women to exert control within the family and to define their religious vocations. She also describes what women meant by seeing their own bodies and God's body as food and what men meant when they too associated women with food and flesh. The author's interpretation of women's piety offers a new view of the nature of medieval asceticism and, drawing upon both anthropology and feminist theory, she illuminates the distinctive features of women's use of symbols. Rejecting presentist interpretations of women as exploited or masochistic, she shows the power and creativity of women's writing and women's lives.
Download or read book Writing the Sacred Art written by Rami Shapiro and published by SkyLight Paths Publishing. This book was released on 2012 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This isn't about how to write spiritual books. It isn't about the romance of writing. It doesn't cover the ins and outs of publishing and building a brand. Instead, this fresh and unapologetic guide to writing as a spiritual practice approaches writing as a way to turn the spiral of body, heart, mind, soul and spirit that leads to spiritual awakening.
Download or read book The Fasting Path written by Stephen Harrod Buhner and published by Avery Publishing Group. This book was released on 2003 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unleash the power of fasting to help you discover your sacred self. A centuries-old tradition, fasting has historically been recognized as a way to heighten human sensitivity to all things-animate and insensate-in the universe. Ancient cultures understood the link between the physical, the emotional, and the spiritual experience and acknowledged fasting as a means for making this connection. The Fasting Path is a guide to help readers safely and effectively use fasting to tap into the sacred energy of the earth. Author Stephen Buhner explains how fasting allows us to experience fully the intricate relationship of the mind, body, and the spiritual world. Step by step, Buhner leads readers through the fasting process, preparing them to embrace the physical, emotional, and spiritual healing resulting from this transformational phenomenon.
Download or read book The Supreme Remedy written by Deborah Walters and published by George Ronald Publisher Limited. This book was released on 2014 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reflections on applying natural healing arts to the Baha'i Fast How to purify and energize soul, mind and body during the Fast and live a healthy lifestyle all year round. The practice of fasting has been used for both spiritual development and physical healing for many centuries. In the Baha'i Faith, as in many religions, a period of fasting once a year is seen as a symbol of purification and a means of moving closer towards our Creator, putting us in touch with our duty and destiny here on Earth. Deborah Walters is a Doctor of Naturopathy and runs a private practice specializing in spiritual, mental and physical healing and welcoming clients from all over the world. She is also much in demand for seminars and public speaking in the United States. In this profound yet highly practical book she draws on both the Baha'i teachings and her professional experience to examine the human condition of soul, mind and body, how they are interrelated, and how they can be integrated, transformed and energized through the spiritual discipline of the Baha'i Fast."
Download or read book A Different Kind of Fast written by Christine Valters Paintner and published by Broadleaf Books . This book was released on 2024-01-02 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Clarify your true hungers--and nourish your soul. Fasting is not just the physical practice of giving up food. Fasting can also be a way to combat our culture of endless distractions and busyness. Fasting is an act of letting go, of making more internal space to listen to the sacred whispers of our lives. Join Christine Valters Paintner, online abbess of Abbey of the Arts, on a spiritual journey through seven different kinds of fasts, including fasting from control, from our attachments, from our grasping, and more. When we practice these fasts, we can discover unexpected spiritual gifts, as well as answers to deeper questions, leading us to ask: "What is my true hunger?" Perfect for Lent, or any period when a deeper intention to clarify your true hunger is needed, A Different Kind of Fast helps us enter our hearts, stripping away old patterns and habits. Featuring striking woodcuts from artist Kreg Yingst, the book draws on the wisdom of the desert elders, Paintner offers practical contemplative practices like lectio divina, breath prayer, visio divina, meditation with desert wisdom, contemplative walks, and creative rituals. As we fast from rushing, planning, being strong, holding it all together, seeking certainty, and control, we can softly reorient ourselves toward that which nourishes and fulfills us, for the reflective Lenten season and beyond.
Download or read book Birthing God written by Lana Dalberg and published by SkyLight Paths Publishing. This book was released on 2013 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A variety of women relate Spirit-filled moments. In doing so, they invite you to consider the origins of your own spirituality and to deepen your relationship with God.
Download or read book Celtic Christian Spirituality written by and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-06-01 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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: Creation Daily life and work Incarnation Pilgrimage Blessing Social justice Prayer
