When writer-poet Punam Chadha-Joseph took to the pen, to give expression to the scale of emotions she went through in a single day, what emerged over time was a cyclical play of love, joy, wonder, peace, anger, courage, sadness, fear and even despair in varying intensities. Having always been forthright, outspoken and a nonconformist, conventional morality was open for debate as was gender stereotyping. The writer-poet’s enquiry into matters philosophical and comical, culminated in The Soulful Seeker, a moving collection of poems that resonates our aspirations, hopes, longings and disappointments, and above all, our ever-changing notion of ideality. A delightful read indeed! “A good poet’s task is to provoke thought through simple language. For, translating Descartes, I think, therefore I am. Doing this is not easy. Punam, however, does it simply and well. Do read her poems and you will find yourself thinking. And equally importantly, often find yourself smiling too. For as she rightly says, there are ‘little bubbles of happiness that (we) often forget to see’.” Amish Tripathi, award-winning author, The Shiva Trilogy and Scion of Ikshvaku “A delicate rhythmic journey laced with clarity and elegance, the warmth of Punam’s persona reflects beautifully in this collection. I’m sure it will engross every reader who is ‘A Soulful Seeker’!” Padma Shri Prasoon Joshi, National Award-winning poet, song-writer, screen-writer & advertising legend. After completing her Bachelor’s in Economics (Honours) from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, Punam Chadha-Joseph joined the prestigious Oberoi School of Hotel Management in Delhi to do her post-graduation. In the course of her work-life, she met her husband Sabbas Joseph, the Founder-Director of Wizcraft, India’s pioneer Event Management agency. The Soulful Seeker is her first book of poems, and she is ready with another one, especially written for children, based on appreciating and saving the environment. Sketching being a new hobby, she has incorporated many of her sketches in The Soulful Seeker, including the very striking visual on the cover. Talking Points - Foreword by National Award-winning actress and activist Shabana Azmi - Endorsed by bestselling author Amish Tripathi, Padmashri and National Award-winning poet and lyricist Prasoon Joshi, National-Award winning director, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, and popular Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha among others - Debut collection of poems by artist-writer Punam Chadha-Joseph - Accompanied by Punam Chadha-Joseph’s beautiful artwork

When it comes to religion, "choose one" is no longer your only option. You can be spiritual-but-not-religious or not particularly religious at all-yet still have a robust system of beliefs and values that guides you. Creating your own set of eclectic spiritual practices is not a sign that you are a faith-less person but rather a faith-ful person responding with honesty to an increasingly expanding world. If faithfully attending church isn't helping you live out your values in everyday ways, becoming relig-ish may be the answer! Rachelle Mee-Chapman's new book Relig-ish will help you: Create a set of spiritual practices that fit into your daily life and honor the things you value most. Develop right-fit spiritual practices for yourself and your family outside of going to church. Shake off harmful religious messages and embrace truths that won't damage yourself or your soul. Build bridges towards your religious family members by identifying the common values that are the bedrock beneath your beliefs. Discover that your soul is not at risk and you are not lost in your wondering, wandering post-church world.

This historic collection of all of Sri Chinmoy’s university lectures in eBook form has been released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sri Chinmoy’s arrival in the West on 13 April 1964. Sri Chinmoy’s very first university lecture was given at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, on 10 January 1968. It was entitled “Spirituality: What It Is and What It Is Not.” This inaugurated a whole era of talks which saw Sri Chinmoy travelling ceaselessly across the length and breadth of America and around the world to address the youth of each country. He would spend countless hours travelling by car or train to reach far- flung universities, sometimes visiting two or even three in the course of a single day. After many of these sublimely inspiring discourses, he would answer questions from the audience or spend time instructing sincere seekers in the age-old practices of concentration, meditation and contemplation. By the mid-seventies, Sri Chinmoy had spoken volumes and he began to include longer and longer periods of silent meditation in his lectures. Then, in 1984, in a significant departure from the spoken word, he introduced the theme of Peace Concerts. At these concerts, Sri Chinmoy would play his own soulful and devotional compositions on a variety of instruments of both Eastern and Western origin, meditating between each instrument and sometimes giving aphorisms on peace and related themes. In 2003 yet another form of Sri Chinmoy’s self-offering unfolded when he travelled to a number of universities to honour distinguished professors for their significant contributions to the betterment of humanity by physically lifting them overhead. This remarkable endeavour was part of his “Lifting Up the World With a Oneness-Heart” award programme. Thus, through words, silence, music and a combination of physical and spiritual upliftment, Sri Chinmoy has shared his profound spiritual message with the aspiring Truth- seekers and God-lovers of the university-world for four decades. Sri Chinmoy’s words are mantras for the modern age, reverberating in our hearts with their timeless and truly life-transforming wisdom. In his exquisite prose, which is suffused with the very breath and cadence of poetry, Sri Chinmoy has revealed all the many stages of the seeker’s journey towards the Golden Shores of the ever-transcending Beyond. For generations to come these three volumes will awaken the inner mounting cry of seekers everywhere to achieve the highest Goal of Yoga—union with God—in this life.

Women in Russian Theatre is a fascinating feminist counterpoint to the established area of Russian theatre populated by male artists such as Stanislavsky, Chekov and Meyerhold. With unprecedented access to newly-opened files in Russia, Catherine Schuler brings to light the actresses who had an impact upon Russian modernist theatre. Schuler brings to light the extradordinary lives and work of eight Russian actresses who flourished on the stage between the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Fran Berkell-Rafferty was in college when she first saw the quote by Dag Hammarskjold, “If only I may grow: firmer, simpler, quieter, warmer.” Throughout the next four decades while busy pursuing degrees, marrying, and raising a family, she would often pause and question whether she was growing in direction of that mantra. In a collection of philosophical musings based on her personal experiences, Berkell-Rafferty reflects on her determination to grow firmer, simpler, quieter, and warmer as she aged while helping others to see how the simplest offerings of nature’s bounty can connect us to understanding the absolute complexities that we face day-to-day. Throughout her gems of hard-earned wisdom and observations of the natural world around her, she invites others to refill their spiritual wells and reflect on their own remarkable journey through life. A Seeker’s Journey shares thoughtful writings and wisdom that encourage those in search of inner peace to seek light from the darkness to grow firmer, simpler, quieter, and warmer.

The Soulful Art of Persuasion is a revolutionary guide to becoming a master influencer in an age of distrust through the cultivation of character-building habits that are essential to both personal growth and sustained business success. This isn't a book full of tips and life-hacks. Instead, The Soulful Art of Persuasion will develop the habits that others want to be influenced by. This book is based on a radical idea: Persuasion isn't about facts and argument. It's all about personal character. Jason Harris, CEO of the powerhouse creative agency Mekanism, argues that genuine persuasion in the twenty-first century is about developing character rather than relying on the easy tactics of flattery, manipulation, and short-term gains. It is about engaging rather than insisting; it is about developing empathy and communicating your values. Based on his experience in and out of the boardroom, and drawing on the latest in-depth research on trust, influence, and habit formation, Harris shows that being persuasive in a culture plagued by deception means rejecting the ethos of the quick and embracing the commitment of putting your truest self forward and playing the long game. Through instructive and entertaining stories, Harris lays out the 11 habits that will guide readers to become authentically persuasive, including Earning respect through collaboration Becoming the person others want to be around Practicing generosity through gestures big and small Persuasion today is about personal excellence, sharing the stage, and respecting other people's motivations. In The Soulful Art of Persuasion, Jason Harris shows us the way.

Do you find yourself living with an ongoing, unquenchable restlessness or passionate curiosity and wondering why this is the case? You can restore your faith in your destiny as a seekersomeone in search of a genuine understanding and experience of home. Seekers: Finding Our Way Home offers a vivid portrayal of seekers as pilgrims questing for home. Seekers are threshold dwellers, and home takes on both an ancient definition of the word a place to linger and an active ideal, involving doing what it takes to make peace with change and therefore with the journey. This exploration presents an account of seeking that strengthens a facility for identifying where to linger and how to move in order to avoid spiritual homelessness. It also offers concrete guidelines for seekers self-care. Strengthen your capacity for presence, imagination, and enchantment, and learn from the example of a heartening illustration of an aging seeker. Encouraging and inspiring, this guide invites you to sustain the faith that seeking was always what you were meant to do.

"Love is the most sublime emotion that shapes human values, attitudes, and behaviors. In this insightful exploration, the author delves into how love influences life, relationships, and our connection to the Divine. This book examines the power of love to build and destroy, transform and transcend. Through the universal language of the heart, it reveals how love matters in living according to the Creator's design. A celebration of this timeless emotion, it invites readers to understand true love and reject its false forms. A perfect gift to help loved ones appreciate and cherish genuine love."

Spirituality has an indispensable role to play in the expression of our humanity. However, spiritual practices can sometimes make us less, not more, authentically human. We may be good Christians, but we aren't good human beings. How can we ensure that our spiritual journey is conducted in a way that allows us to become fully alive and deeply human? David Benner has spent thirty-five years integrating psychology and spirituality. Here he presents an expansive, psychologically informed understanding of spirituality, probing the contrasts between soulful and soulless spirituality, deep and shallow religion, and healthy and unhealthy relationships with God to affirm the vital role of human development in the spiritual journey. Benner then suggests soulful practices for cultivating the Christian spiritual life. This book will appeal to readers seeking depth and substance in their quest for authentic spirituality. It will also be a helpful resource for mental health professionals and spiritual directors. Reflection questions and exercises for individual or group use are included at the end of each chapter.d

In 1977, Elizabeth Lesser cofounded the Omega Institute, now America's largest adult-education center focusing on wellness and spirituality. Working with many of the eminent thinkers of our times, including Zen masters, rabbis, Christian monks, psychologists, scientists, and an array of noted American figures--from L.A. Lakers coach Phil Jackson to author Maya Angelou--Lesser found that by combining a variety of religious, psychological, and healing traditions, each of us has the unique ability to satisfy our spiritual hunger. In The Seeker's Guid, she synthesizes the lessons learned from an immersion into the world's wisdom traditions and intertwines them with illuminating stories from her daily life. Recounting her own trials and errors and offering meditative exercises, she shows the reader how to create a personal practice, gauge one's progress, and choose effective spiritual teachers and habits. Warm, accessible, and wise, this book provides directions through the four landscapes of the spiritual journey: THE MIND: learning meditation to ease stress and anxiety THE HEART: dealing with grief, loss, and pain; opening the heart and becoming fully alive THE BODY: returning the body to the spiritual fold to heal and overcome the fear of aging and death THE SOUL: experiencing daily life as an adventure of meaning and mystery