True Path of the Ninja is the first authoritative translation in English of the Shoninki--the famous 17th-century ninjutsu manual. Authors Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami worked closely with Dr. Nakashima Atsumi, author of the most comprehensive modern Japanese version of the Shoninki, thus making this English translation the closest to the original scrolls. The information and insights found in this translation are invaluable for understanding the skills, techniques and mentality of the historical shinobi. Whether it involved tips for surviving in the wild, advice on intelligence-gathering techniques, or methods for creating chaos in the enemy camp, this ninja book unveils secrets long lost. Along with its practical applications, this book is an important guide to the mental discipline that ninjas must have to ensure success in accomplishing their mission. True Path of the Ninja covers the following topics: What a ninja is and what equipment he needs The skills of infiltration and information gathering How to disrupt and distract the enemy How to be mentally prepared to carry out ninja missions In addition to the translation of the Shoninki, this book also includes the first written record of the oral tradition "Defense Against a Ninja" taught by Otake Risuke, the revered sensei of the legendary Katori Shinto Ryu school of swordsmanship. Sensei reveals for the first time these ancient and traditional teachings on how the samurai can protect himself from the cunning wiles of a ninja. About this new edition: This second edition contains a new introduction by the translator and has been thoroughly updated to reflect developments that shed new light on the original Japanese text.

Out of the ancient, prehistoric worship of mother earth arose an all-embracing, truly holistic vision of life, the Tantra vision. Tantra - which can be translated as 'the essential thread' -winds its way through the most vibrantly alive and creatively rich parts of every religion. Both Hinduism and Jainism met and were enriched by Tantra. It influenced the Christian Gnostics and the Mohammedan Sufis. The flame of Tantric Buddhism is kept alive to this day by the Tibetan Lamas. This branch, which lives today in Tibet, was founded by Saraha. In a way, Saraha had two masters, one being Sri Kirti, who is in direct descent from Buddha.

"As I read "Conversations with the Mysterious One," I was enthralled and captivated by the poetic and powerfully, symbolic word-play. It moves from sensitive, gentle prodding to electrifying and powerful truths, all wrapped in a wonderful energy of deep wisdom.--Sri Jothimayi Ma.

The writings of Rav Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag (RABASH), the firstborn son and successor of Rav Yehuda Leib HaLevi Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), author of the Sulam (Ladder) commentary on The Book of Zohar, provide us with insights that connect the wisdom of Kabbalah to our human experience. These books disclose the profound knowledge of human nature that the RABASH possessed, and take us on a journey to our own souls. As we absorb the texts, wefind that Kabbalah is not some cryptic occultism, but a time-tested method to understand ourselves and improve our lives and the world around us.

Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? How am I going to get there? Weve all asked these questions, but most of us have only gotten fuzzy answers, leading to a psychospiritual malaise of whatever. Society ignores the mythopoetic notion of destinythe idea that we have contracted with the gods to have certain experiences on earth for our enlightenment and empowerment, and so for our lifes purpose and meaning. Destiny Retrieval shows how to reverse destiny loss with shamanic practices like soul clearing, pathfinding, and signpost recognition. In this comprehensive exploration, author David Kowalewski uses cross-cultural research, scientific findings, field-tested protocols, and personal experiences to unpack this ancient practice. Find out how you can be a hero in your own mindand in your own realityby embarking on your destiny quest with the help of shamans and their spirit allies. You can learn the costs of a purposeless and meaningless life and discover how shamans can reverse malaise with destiny-retrieval practices from the ancient past. Using a variety of practices, this guide offers an in-depth examination of the ancient shamanic craft of retrieving destiny to restore purpose and meaning in life.

Readings of Aristotle’s and Confucius’ teachings reveal that both philosophers’ rhetorical thinking contain vital similarities which can help us understand cultural differences today. Much has been said about Aristotle’s definition of rhetoric as ‘the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion’ but few studies have focused on his depiction of rhetoric as ‘partly like dialectic, and partly like sophistical reasoning’. Yet, this Aristotelian conception of rhetoric sheds light on a similarity with Confucius’ teaching: both Confucius and Aristotle see the human understanding of the truths of things as necessarily having a dimension that is open-ended and discursive.