A Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.

Sikhs trace the genesis of their religious rites, prayers, dress codes, and names to Guru Gobind Singh's creation of the Khalsa in 1699. The Birth of the Khalsa is the first work to explore this pivotal event in Sikh history from a feminist perspective, questioning the ways in which Sikh memories have constructed a hypermasculine Sikh identity. The book argues that Sikh memory needs to acknowledge the vital female dimension grounded in the universal human condition and present at the birth of the Khalsa. Inspired by her own father, the eminent Sikh scholar Harbans Singh, Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh rediscovers the feminine side of the words and actions of the founders of Sikhism. She looks at the basic texts and tenets of Sikh religion and demonstrates the female aspect in the sacred text, daily prayers, dress code, and rituals of the Sikhs. Singh reminds us that Guru Gobind Singh's original vision was an egalitarian one and urges present-day Sikhs to live up to the liberating implications set in motion when he gave birth to the Khalsa.

A Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.

“Singing is as human as breathing, and this book tells us why.” —Mark Guarino, contributing music writer, The Guardian Celebrated yogi-musician Girish opens new possibilities for transforming your life through song, combining the ancient art of singing mantra with twenty-first century neuroscience research. For as long as he can remember, Girish has created rhythm to accompany life. His first experience of music as sacred art came in college, playing with jazz bands. “During improvisational sessions,” he recalls, “there were these unexplainable moments of synchronicity and intuition that felt like magic.” This led Girish to an unexpected journey—a seeming detour to live as a monk in an ashram for five years that inadvertently nourished his musical artistry. Here, he studied Sanskrit as a means to understand the deeper meanings of ancient chants, which sparked a life-changing event that led him back to music—and to combine music with Sanskrit chants. Now he shares what he’s learned to help people of all ages, backgrounds, and traditions to transform body, brain, and life through mantra and music. With Music and Mantras, Girish has created an interactive toolkit—including more than ninety minutes of companion audio material—for personal transformation through singing, sharing his own experience as a musician, yogi, and former Hindu monk. Weaving simple, elegant mantras from ancient traditions with neuroscience, Girish shows us how to achieve greater peace of mind, clarity, calm, focus, and even improved health and wealth through the yogic art of chanting—an ideal practice for singing our way to happiness, health, and prosperity.

Religion in decline in an age of progress -- Untidy realms -- A Swadeshi Chaitanya -- Recovering Bishnupriya's loss -- Utopia and a birthplace.

This unique book provides comprehensive profiles of the three great incarnations of Sai Baba Shirdi Sai Baba(1858-1918), Sathya Sai Baba (1926-2011) and the future Sri Prema Sai Baba whose advent in the present century has been prophesied. They carry the triple message of work, worship and wisdom. Shirdi Sai Baba laid the base for secular integration and gave the message of duty as work, Sathya Sai Babas mission was to make every one realize that the same God resides in everyone. The future Prema Sai Baba will promote the evangelic news that not only God resides in everyone but everyone is GOD. The special features of this book are: It presents research based new information on the first two Incarnations which will enable readers understand their lives, messages, miracles, and their status and unique roles as prophets --harbingers of the New Age Spirituality. It presents the thrilling future scenario of Prema Sai Babas divine life as revealed by Sathya Sai Baba to his closest devotee Vasantha Sai who has been assured that she would be his wife Prema when he incarnates as Raja who would later be known as Prema Sai Baba and the mother of their only son Rama. This book clears the prevailing confusion about Prema Sai Baba and gives a microscopic view of the New Age Spirituality.