In the tradition of Annie Dillard, John Muir, and Gary Snyder, the author reports how he learned to experience nature in a "wakeful state of mind" in order to heal his emotional pain and grow spiritually. He has found that the power of nature to facilitate meditation is available to everyone, as evidenced in these passages and essays. Photographs and line drawings.

'You'll feel utterly transformed' - Sunday Times 'Helps adds a spiritual depth to our wanderings' - The Simple Things Wellness travellers are seeking transformative experiences - wellness is, by nature, a journey and a quest. The concept of transformative travel is about finding experiences through trips that shift perspective and allow digital detoxing, connection with oneself, nature, communities and a sense of the bigger picture in life. Sacred Places is a stunning new coffee table exploration for seekers of unusual and enlightening destinations, for both armchair travelling and as inspiration for future journeys. The book will be particularly focused on experiences, in addition to a full description of the place. For example, plant medicine ceremonies in South America, walking the Camino Way, Stonehenge on the winter solstice, wild swimming in Iceland's sacred hot springs and silent retreats. Entries also introduce the history and geography of the place, significant stories, dates to visit, myths, legends and ceremonies.

This sensitive examination of the meanings of landscape draws on the author's rich experience with diverse enviornments and peoples: the Gitksan and Witsuwit'en of norwestern British Columbia, the Kaska Dena of the southern Yukon, and the Gwich'in of the Mackenzie Delta. Johnson maintains that the ways people understand and act upon land have wide implications, shaping cultures and ways of life, determining identity and polity, and creating and mainting environmental relationships and economies. Her emphassis on landscape and ways of knowing the land provides a particular take on ecological relationships of First Peoples to land.

For courses in Religions of the World, History of Religions, Comparative Religion, and Introduction to Religious Studies in departments of Religion, Religious Studies, Theology, and Philosophy. Unique in approach, this text combines an historical-descriptive presentation of individual religions with a comparative-thematic approach. It begins with a discussion of the basic human questions and concerns relating to religion e.g., origin and identity, ultimate reality, human nature, and the good life and then uses these essential concepts to help describe the beliefs, practices, and historical development of each religion. As the work of a single scholar much of it based on original research this book offers a consistency and depth missing in many of the texts in this field.

Trauma therapist Teresa B. Pasquale offers healing exercises, true-life examples, and life-giving discussion for anyone suffering from the very real pain of church hurt. Pasquale, a trauma survivor herself, understands the immeasurable value of our wounds once we've acknowledged them and recovered in community. That's why the wounds are "sacred," and the hope this book offers is a powerful message to anyone suffering from this widespread problem. This book explores the nature of emotional wounds, trauma, and spiritual hurt that come from negative religious experience. Some of the features are: Stories from a wide range of persons hurt by negative religious experience Healing and contemplative practices to help readers explore their own spiritual story and practical ways to move towards personal healing A journey through the experience of trauma in religious settings and how it is both relatable to other forms of trauma and distinctive -- outlining both facets An exploration of the author's own personal and professional understanding of hurt, trauma, PTSD, and the power of resiliency and healing