"Grasping the Root of Divine Power" clarifies the fundamental concepts used in any occult system. The work pulls mainly from West African tradition but, is brought up to date using modern examples and guides for immediate application. The rarely taught nine position OBI divination system is shared and author HRU Assaan-ANU provides an approach of implementing this ancient oracle that will intrigue the novice and advanced student of divination. "Grasping the Root of Divine Power" covers the major Orisha in the West African tradition but, also shows their modern day and cross-geographical/cultural counterparts. After reading this work you'll be able to look at avant-garde figures of notoriety, as well, as your intimate ones and immediately decipher what Orisha or cosmic archetype they spawn from. This only scratches the surface of what is imparted in this potent work.

What does it mean to give life to movement? Tamara Williams answers this question through an ethnographic study and historical mapping of the Silvestre Dance Technique created by Brazilian master teacher, dancer, and choreographer, Rosangela Silvestre. In the first book solely dedicated to Silvestre Technique, Williams illustrates how the applied theory of the triangles of inspiration, expression and balance of training can lead to self-actualization through implementation in daily life practice. From the Brazilian arts movements of the 1970s, to the sociopolitical themes of the Blocos Afros, to the global practice of Silvestre Technique presently, the author explores the impact of the Body Universe in understanding self-capacity and capability. Williams investigates the functionality of the technique through a series of interviews, physical practice, and training.

Elf school beauty, Qiao Qiao. The uniformed beauty, Han Xue. Icily arrogant doctor Ye Qingmei. There is also the understanding, gentle and pleasant people teacher Tong Yuan Yuan. Different from these beauties, but what would happen to them together? Liu Mang said, "My dream is just to promote Chinese medicine."

Do I dare disturb the universe? It is a question recognized by people around the world. If typed into the internet, hundreds of examples appear. Many know that it comes from one of the best known poems of the twentieth century, T. S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. What many do not know is that Eliot dramatically shifted his views at the height of his fame for writing such dark poetry as this and his also famous The Wasteland, becoming a sincere, devoted Christian. While his poetry is famous because it expresses the loss of a spiritual center in European civilization, a careful reading of it reveals that he was struggling with his Christianity from the beginning, not rejecting it, but trying to make it fit into the contemporary world. If a reader works through his love song for all of the esoteric meanings, as he demands, it quickly becomes evident that he intended it as a struggle between agape, amour and eros. Beginning it with a quote from Dante forces that into place. Though the protestant forms of Christianity have changed their views on these, the Roman Catholic holds fast. Eliot references Michelangelo in the poem, bringing in the great painter of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Most immediately recognize his name and work. Many do not realize how he expressed a similar personal struggle between the desires of the flesh and the spirit. Both of them admired Dante’s Divine Comedy, and its inclusion of amour as a means to salvation. His work is generally seen as the greatest literature ever to come out of Italy, sometimes referred to as the epic representation of St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica, one of the central documents establishing Catholic doctrine. This book explores how these brilliant men struggle with the highest meanings of life in their artistic expressions and perhaps manage to express what Rudolph Otto designates the mysterium tremendum, the experience of a mystical awe, what he calls the numinous or, in more common terms, the experience of God.

Who is the mystic, and what is the essence of their journey? Across various traditions, the path of the mystic is often described in purposefully veiled language, each with its own unique approach. In the tantric tradition, this is known as the twilight language, designed to protect the sacred mysteries. Similarly, in the Bible, Christ speaks in parables to those not yet privy to the secrets of the kingdom. This veiled language is rich with symbols, requiring careful decoding to unravel the profound truths they hold. This book seeks to lift the veil on these mysteries, exposing the transformative journey of the mystic – a path that all seekers of truth and meaning must inevitably traverse. Through its pages, readers will gain insight into the hidden wisdom of the ages, illuminating the way for those who dare to embark on this timeless quest for self-discovery and enlightenment.

Drawing on the writings of Jacques Maritain--and by extension those of Thomas Aquinas--the essays in this volume examine the effects of theories of knowledge on individuals, culture, and entire schools of philosophical thought. The contributors challenge contemporary epistemologies, which are largely based on writings of Descartes, Locke, and Kant. They critique these theories internally and demonstrate their incompatibility with other goods, such as liberty, human dignity, and access to the transcendent. In stark contrast to modernity's dubious and fragmented opinions and belief systems, Maritain--in works like The Degrees of Knowledge and Creative Intuition in Art and Poetry--proposed a theory of knowledge that permits real, if limited, knowledge of substances, wholes. Some contributors use these works as a springboard from which to examine aspects or applications of knowledge that Maritain left unexplored. Others challenge or question aspects of Maritain's analysis, seeking to improve upon his work. Still others compare Maritain with other neo-Thomistic philosophers, most notably Etienne Gilson, Alasdair MacIntyre, and Pope John Paul II. Maritain's works on human knowledge and the implicit critique of modernity contained within provide an alternative for those seeking to engage the various deficiencies of the "culture of death." These essays demonstrate the continuing relevance--and timeliness--of Maritain's thought. Douglas A. Ollivant is assistant professor of politics at the United States Military Academy. Contributors: George Anastaplo, James Arraj, Joseph M. de Torre, Robert Delfino, Raymond Dennehy, John M. Dunaway, Robert Fallon, Desmond FitzGerald, William J. Fossati, W. Matthews Grant, Catherine Green, James G. Hanink, Gregory J. Kerr, John F. X. Knasas, John F. Morris, Ralph Nelson, Douglas A. Ollivant, Matthew S. Pugh, Steven J. Schloeder, Christopher H. Toner, John G. Trapani, Jr., Henk E. S. Woldring, and Thomas F. Woods. "This is a valuable collection of articles on an important individual who is still influencing contemporary political thought."--Lucien J. Richard, OMI, Catholic Library World

Path to the Awakened Heart: the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a comprehensive interpretation and analysis of one of the fundamental scriptures in the Indian yoga tradition. In his rendering, Robert Jacobs points to the universality of the teachings and practices in the Yoga Sutras, explaining how they form foundational elements of many spiritual paths. Interpreted in a non-dual manner consistent with teachings of the tantric yoga tradition of India, Robert provides contemplations with the sutras that allow the reader to understand the subtleties and depth of each sutra. The Yoga Sutras is one of the most comprehensive guidebooks ever written about walking a spiritual path. It offers meditators a unique opportunity to explore the intricacies of their practices and paths.