The Sabbath

The Sabbath . Elegant, passionate, and filled with the love of God's creation, Abraham Joshua Heschel's The Sabbath has been hailed as a classic of Jewish spirituality ever since its original publication-and has been read by thousands of people seeking meaning in modern life. In this brief yet profound meditation on the meaning of the Seventh Day, Heschel introduced the idea of an "architecture of holiness" that appears not in space but in time Judaism, he argues, is a religion of time: it finds meaning not in space and the material things that fill it but in time and the eternity that imbues it, so that "the Sabbaths are our great cathedrals."

Review: Perhaps no aspect of Jewish religious observance has been so poorly understood by the outside world as the Sabbath. Gentile expressions such as "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" have tended to give the impression that the Jewish Sabbath is something oppressive. Not so, says Rabbi Heschel. The Sabbath, when understood properly, is a gift of freedom.

In this now-classic book, first published in 1951, Heschel shows how the Sabbath is a "palace in time," a carefully structured retreat from the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. The laws of the Sabbath are the spiritual architecture with which the "palace in time" is built. Once you understand the blueprint for that palace, then all of the restrictions and to-do things on the Sabbath make sense. See details

Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life

Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life . Remember the phrase "question authority"? Loving What Is is a workbook on questioning authority--but in this case, what is in question is the authority of our own fundamental beliefs about our relationships.

Known simply as "The Work," Byron Katie's methods are clean and straightforward. The basis is a series of four questions addressed to your own lists of written assumptions. Whether you're angry with your boss, frustrated with your teen's behavior, or appalled at the state of the world's environment, Katie suggests you write down your most honest thoughts on the matter, and then begin the examination. Starting with, "Is it true?" and continuing with explorations of "Who would you be without that thought?" this method allows you to get through unhelpful preconceptions and find peace. An integral part of the process is "turning the thought around," and at first this can seem like you're simply blaming yourself for everything. Push a little harder, and you'll find a very responsible acceptance of reality, beyond questions of fault and blame.

The book is filled with examples of folks applying The Work to a variety of life situations, and reading other's examples gets the idea across pretty clearly; chances are you'll find your own frustrations echoed on the pages a few times. Many chapters are divided into specific topics, such as couples, money, addictions, and self-judgments, with one chapter devoted to exploring the method with children.

Questioning your own authority is never an easy process, but it seems well worth the potential rewards--stress-free choices, peace, and affection for those closest to you. See details

WomanSpirit Awakening in Nature : Growing into the Fullness of Who You Are

WomanSpirit Awakening in Nature: Growing into the Fullness of Who You Are . This book is your invitation to experience the life-energizing process of reclaiming your spiritual roots through nature--be it your backyard or the wilds of the forest.

Nancy Barrett Chickerneo, a twenty-year veteran leading women's retreats, guides you on a journey into nature to reconnect with your senses--what you see, hear, touch, taste and smell--in order to reactivate your ability for personal discovery. Combining creativity, playfulness and spiritual depth, she poses eight life-changing questions that help you explore ways to awaken, transform and nurture your spirit. Practical exercises for individual or group use encourage you to let go of self-judgment and seek balance in your everyday life, empowering you to find your own path to spiritual growth.

Whether you have picked up this book out of curiosity, longing--even skepticism--you will be inspired to get out there into nature to reclaim the person you were created to be. See details

Surrender All : Your Answer to Living with Peace, Power, and Purpose

Surrender All: Your Answer to Living with Peace, Power, and Purpose. Incredible things happen when you give up control .

As a young wife and mom-to-be, Joni Lamb never imagined a dream and Duct tape could launch a growing television network and career as host of two programs that reach millions of viewers worldwide every day with help, hope, and wisdom. Then a simple act of surrender to God helped her use ordinary things to achieve her extraordinary dreams.

That same simple act can help you find unshakeable peace, incredible power, and confident purpose too. Surrender All contains practical know-how and Joni’s remarkable story of how giving up control to God can…

• deepen every relationship,
• buoy any career,
• strengthen all finances,
• restore your health;
• get you through great loss or failure.

Drawing upon her experiences as a wife, mother, and television personality, Joni also shares the inspiring stories of others, celebrities and everyday folk, who found fresh hope in difficult circumstances by surrendering all:

• the couple whose marriage was fully restored–two years after their divorce,
• the mother whose faithful prayers for her drug-dealing son received an unexpected answer,
• the romance novelist who surrendered her career and found a whole new level of success,
• and the renowned sportscaster whose alcohol addiction nearly destroyed his life…until he chose to believe that God had greater plans for his future.

You can step confidently into your own divinely-designed destiny, Joni’s story reveals; she comes alongside to show you the way to making real the dreams of a heart willing to Surrender All. See details

Being Catholic Now : Prominent Americans Talk About Change in the Church and the Quest for Meaning

Being Catholic Now: Prominent Americans Talk About Change in the Church and the Quest for Meaning . For Kerry Kennedy, who grew up in a devoutly Catholic household coping with great loss, her family’s faith was a constant source of strength and solace. As an adult, she came to question some of the attitudes and teachings of the Catholic Church while remaining an impassioned believer in its role as a defender of the poor and oppressed.

“Generations ago,” says Kennedy, “the search for spirituality came predefined and prepackaged. [The Church] not only gave us all the answers, it even gave us the questions to ask.” Now many of the old certainties are being reexamined. In an attempt to convey this sea change, Kennedy asked thirty-seven American Catholics to speak candidly about their own faith—whether lost, recovered, or deepened—and about their feelings regarding the way the Church hierarchy is moving forward.

The voices included here range from respectful to reproachful and from appreciative to angry. Speaking their minds are businesspeople, actors and entertainers, educators, journalists, politicians, union leaders, nuns, priests—even a cardinal. Some love the Church; some feel intensely that the Church wronged them. All have an illuminating insight or perspective.

Kerry Kennedy herself speaks of the joy of growing up as one of Robert and Ethel Kennedy’s eleven children, of the tragedies that eventually befell her family, and of how religion was deeply woven through good times and bad. Journalist Andrew Sullivan talks about reconciling his devout Catholicism with the Church’s condemnation of his identity as a gay man. TV newswoman Cokie Roberts recalls the nuns who taught her and “took girls seriously when nobody else did.” Comedian Bill Maher declares, “I hate religion. It’s the worst thing in the world”—and goes on to defend his bold assertion. Writer Anna Quindlen depicts a common parental challenge: passing along traditions and values to a younger generation sometimes deaf to spiritual messages.

Through these and many other voices that speak not only to Catholics but to all of us, Being Catholic Now redefines an ancient institution in the most contemporary of terms. See details