Wisdom Walk : Nine Practices for Creating Peace and Balance From the World's Spiritual Traditions

After experiencing a crisis of faith, Sage Bennet looked to the practices of the world{u2019}s religions for help. In Wisdom Walk, she beautifully outlines nine of these teachings, making them accessible without diminishing them, while exploring the essential beliefs of each tradition. From Hinduism: Create a home altar. From Buddhism: Meditate and find peace. From Islam: Surrender to prayer. From Christianity: Forgive yourself and others. From Judaism: Make time for the Sabbath. From Native American spirituality: Let nature be your teacher. From Taoism: Go with the flow. From New Thought: Catch God{u2019}s vision of your life. From all traditions: Offer yourself in service to others. Wisdom Walk provides a simple, easy-to-follow guide for bringing the world{u2019}s spiritual traditions into your own life through practical, powerful rituals

After experiencing her own crisis of faith, Sage Bennet developed an eclectic spiritual life, borrowing rituals from many religions and traditions. In Wisdom Walk she outlines some of the most powerful of those practices, making them accessible to contemporary readers without diminishing or disrespecting their subtle nuances. Drawing from Hinduism, she explains how to create a home altar as a reminder of a larger spiritual presence. She explores how Buddhist meditation helps one find peace. From Islam comes surrendering to prayer, and from Christianity the practice of forgiveness. There's even Native American spirituality in the form of a chapter on letting nature be one’s teacher. A final, summarizing chapter, brings together all the traditions, demonstrates their fundamental unity, and discusses the importance of offering oneself in service to others. Wisdom Walk provides a simple, easy-to-follow guide for bringing the world’s spiritual traditions into one’s life through practical, powerful rituals.

Publishers Weekly

For ordained minister Bennett, familiarity breeds wisdom. She examines eight of the world's great faith traditions, mining them for transcendent practices and forms applicable to any spiritual discipline. Prior to a culminating multifaith chapter on service, Bennett explores Hinduism's home altars; Buddhism's meditation practices; Islam's rewards of surrendering in a daily cascade of prayers; Judaism's observance of the Sabbath to keep relationships with friends and family intact; Christianity's rich legacy of forgiveness; Native American spirituality's nature insights; Taoism's trust in the processes of life; and New Thought's application of "visioning" to discern calling and course. Each chapter uses broad brush strokes to cover the elements of each tradition, as well as the author's running personal narrative to reveal how this approach has unfolded in her own life and teaching. Bennett's thrust is always on seeing how other traditions can support, not erode or supplant, an existing faith. Practical application steps and stories of how her students reacted to and integrated these gifts further serve to make this a lively, honest and substantive conduit toward meaningful conversation in the explosive arena of religion. (Apr.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. Hinduism: Create a Home Altar Chapter 2. Buddhism: Meditate and Find Peace Chapter 3. Islam: Surrender to Prayer Chapter 4. Christianity: Forgive Yourself and Others Chapter 5. Judaism: Make Time for the Sabbath Chapter 6. Native American Spirituality: Let Nature Be Your Teacher Chapter 7. Taoism: Go with the Flow Chapter 8. New Thought: Catch God's Vision of Your Life Chapter 9. All Traditions: Offer Yourself in Service to Others Epilogue. Acquiring a Taste For Wisdom Appendix 1. Tools For the Journey Appendix 2. Reflections on Your Wisdom Walk Appendix 3. Wisdom Walk Checklist Notes Bibliography About The Author After experiencing her own crisis of faith, Sage Bennet developed an eclectic spiritual life, borrowing rituals from many religions and traditions. In Wisdom Walk, she beautifully outlines nine of these teachings, making them accessible without diminishing them, while exploring the essential beliefs of each tradition "After experiencing a crisis of faith, Sage Bennet looked to the practices of the world's religions for help. In Wisdom Walk, she beautifully outlines nine of these teachings, making them accessible without diminishing them, while exploring the essential beliefs of each tradition"--Page 4 of cover An accessible compendium of spiritual guidance draws on the beliefs of multiple world religions, counseling readers on such practices as creating a home altar, meditating, surrendering to prayer, and engaging in forgiveness. Original.