Reports of dreams, journeys into the heavens, and other alternate states of consciousness abound in the Old and New Testaments and in extrabiblical literature. While some scholars have considered such reports to be simple literary devices, John J. Pilch a leading expert in social scientific interpretation of the Bible believes otherwise. As Pilch points out, anthropological research on over 400 representative cultures in the world shows that more than ninety percent of these cultures have reported such experiences routinely. Factual or not, he says, biblical accounts of alternate consciousness are both plausible and significant because they constitute a very common, real, human experience in their respective cultures. Drawing on insights from from anthropology, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and the social sciences, Pilch investigates and interprets Old and New Testament accounts of dreams, visions, journeys into the heavens, and other alternate states of consciousness within their cultural contexts. The result is a fresh and intriguing take on familiar biblical events. Flights of the Soul sheds new light on such things as these: * Ezekiel s prophetic visions * Enoch s sky journeys * Jesus transfiguration and ascension * Resurrection appearances in the Gospels * Paul s ecstatic vision on the road to Damascus * John s heavenly journeys described in Revelation

This book goes beyond the physical act of flying - it's about conquering the nagging fears that consume every new pilot when mastering this most revered and challenging of human endeavors. Most of all, it's about the joy and boundless freedom of being a pilot, pursuing like our aerial ancestors the inescapable lure of the map. Flying Carpet shows not only how people fly - but why. The author's adventures take place in the course of every type of mission from surmounting family emergencies to visiting unusual destinations - in ways that only travel by airplane allows. Pilot readers will be stimulated to pursue similar destinations in their own flying carpets. Aviators seeking purpose for their flying skills will find it here.

Former NASA aeronautical engineer and space researcher Albert Taylor believes that there is much we can learn from out-of-body experiences. In this amazing book, he offers an account of his own incredible flights of "soul travel"--and shows us how we too can develop this life-changing ability.

“A parable for our time. . . . We are in deep need of simple truths, of rediscovering our ancient teachings, and Jalamanta may provide that opportunity.” —The Washington Post Book World For thirty years, Fatimah has tended her herd of goats and waited for her lover to return. Amado was banished after leading a revolt against the cruel despots of their village—the Seventh City of the Fifth Sun. He followed the teachings of the wise men and women and roamed the desert in search of knowledge. When his exile finally ends, he returns transformed—no longer the innocent lover of Fatimah’s youth but a prophet named Jalamanta, or “he who strips away the veils that blind the soul.” He brings enlightenment, cures addictions, and can perform miracles. But Jalamanta’s enemies see him as a dangerous threat to the status quo and will use any means necessary to stop him. His deep wellspring of faith and compassion will not allow him to give up or give in—even as he faces the greatest betrayal of all. A searing indictment of tyranny, oppression, and human suffering, Jalamanta is about the age-old battle between good and evil that rages in every heart. It is also a tribute to the love that is the creative force of the universe—the light that can banish ignorance and fear and illuminate the darkest corners of the soul.

A Holocaust memoir about surviving the notorious Dachau concentration camp. For everyone because these stories need to be remembered.

The New York Times–bestselling author of H is for Hawk explores the human relationship to the natural world in this “dazzling” essay collection (Wall Street Journal). In Vesper Flights, Helen Macdonald brings together a collection of her best loved essays, along with new pieces on topics ranging from nostalgia for a vanishing countryside to the tribulations of farming ostriches to her own private vespers while trying to fall asleep. Meditating on notions of captivity and freedom, immigration and flight, Helen invites us into her most intimate experiences: observing the massive migration of songbirds from the top of the Empire State Building, watching tens of thousands of cranes in Hungary, seeking the last golden orioles in Suffolk’s poplar forests. She writes with heart-tugging clarity about wild boar, swifts, mushroom hunting, migraines, the strangeness of birds’ nests, and the unexpected guidance and comfort we find when watching wildlife.

Through the mysteries and myths of Christmas and Easter, families balance the values of receiving and giving, of growth and sacrifice. Each aspect of the Santa myth, from his slide down a chimney to his big red suit, plays a part in a child's imagination. Through their offerings of milk and cookies and their letter writing, children bring their relationship to Santa into developing attitudes toward giving and receiving gifts. The Easter Bunny story, with its ritual egg hunt and baskets of brightly colored candy, is explored in terms of life and its possibility of growth. In these examples, Clark shows how children play an active role in constructing family rituals and cultural reality, since their willingness to make the stories their own helps to renew the traditions.