The Paradox of Being

The Paradox of Being PDF Author: Poul Andersen
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 1684171040
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 370

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Book Description
The question of truth has never been more urgent than today, when the distortion of facts and the imposition of pseudo-realities in the service of the powerful have become the order of the day. In The Paradox of Being Poul Andersen addresses the concept of truth in Chinese Daoist philosophy and ritual. His approach is unapologetically universalist, and the book may be read as a call for a new way of studying Chinese culture, one that does not shy away from approaching “the other” in terms of an engagement with “our own” philosophical heritage. The basic Chinese word for truth is zhen, which means both true and real, and it bypasses the separation of the two ideas insisted on in much of the Western philosophical tradition. Through wide-ranging research into Daoist ritual, both in history and as it survives in the present day, Andersen shows that the concept of true reality that informs this tradition posits being as a paradox anchored in the inexistent Way (Dao). The preferred way of life suggested by this insight consists in seeking to be an exception to ordinary norms and rules of behavior which nonetheless engages what is common to us all.

The Paradox of Being

The Paradox of Being PDF Author: Poul Andersen
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 1684171040
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 370

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Book Description
The question of truth has never been more urgent than today, when the distortion of facts and the imposition of pseudo-realities in the service of the powerful have become the order of the day. In The Paradox of Being Poul Andersen addresses the concept of truth in Chinese Daoist philosophy and ritual. His approach is unapologetically universalist, and the book may be read as a call for a new way of studying Chinese culture, one that does not shy away from approaching “the other” in terms of an engagement with “our own” philosophical heritage. The basic Chinese word for truth is zhen, which means both true and real, and it bypasses the separation of the two ideas insisted on in much of the Western philosophical tradition. Through wide-ranging research into Daoist ritual, both in history and as it survives in the present day, Andersen shows that the concept of true reality that informs this tradition posits being as a paradox anchored in the inexistent Way (Dao). The preferred way of life suggested by this insight consists in seeking to be an exception to ordinary norms and rules of behavior which nonetheless engages what is common to us all.

Fragments of Bone

Fragments of Bone PDF Author: Patrick Bellegarde-Smith
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
ISBN: 0252072057
Category : Afro-Brazilian cults
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
In Fragments of Bone, thirteen essayists discuss African religions as forms of resistance and survival in the face of Western cultural hegemony and imperialism. The collection presents scholars working outside of the Western tradition with backgrounds in a variety of disciplines, genders, and nationalities. These experts draw on research, fieldwork, personal interviews, and spiritual introspection to support a provocative thesis: that fragments of ancestral traditions are fluidly interwoven into New World African religions as creolized rituals, symbolic systems, and cultural identities. Contributors: Osei-Mensah Aborampah, Niyi Afolabi, Patrick Bellegarde-Smith, Randy P. Conner, T. J. Desch-Obi, Ina Johanna Fandrich, Kean Gibson, Marilyn Houlberg, Nancy B. Mikelsons, Roberto Nodal, Rafael Ocasio, Miguel "Willie" Ramos, and Denise Ferreira da Silva

Striking a Balance

Striking a Balance PDF Author: Michael C. Brannigan
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 9780739138465
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 252

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Book Description
Striking a Balance: A Primer in Traditional Asian Values offers a lucid, thoughtful, and thoroughly engaging review of the major ethical teachings in the dominant Asian traditions. Michael C. Brannigan applies his extensive background and scholarship to craft a concise yet comprehensive introduction to Asian ethics covering the long-standing traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. He does this through the skillful use of narratives from classical and contemporary Asian literature. Moreover, he demonstrates that, despite differences, these traditions share a unifying theme in their principal ethical teachings - cultivating balance is the fundamental building block for inner harmony, moral activity, and a just society. Through historical overview and discussion of essential ethical themes, Striking Balance presents the rich texture of traditional Asian moral teachings in ways that are appealing, instructive, and enlightening. The work presupposes no prior knowledge of ethics or of Asian traditions and is ideal for all who are interested in learning more about Asian cultures and moral teachings. It is also an invaluable text for students at the introductory as well as upper levels in ethics, Asian studies, philosophy, religion, and humanities.

When God Comes to Town

When God Comes to Town PDF Author: Rik Pinxten
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 1845459202
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 166

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Book Description
Around 1800 roughly three per cent of the human population lived in urban areas; by 2030 this number is expected to have gone up to some seventy per cent. This poses problems for traditional religions that are all rooted in rural, small-scale societies. The authors in this volume question what the possible appeal of these old religions, such as Christianity, Judaism, or Islam could be in the new urban environment and, conversely, what impact global urbanization will have on learning and on the performance and nature of ritual. Anthropologists, historians and political scientists have come together in this volume to analyse attempts made by churches and informal groups to adapt to these changes and, at the same time, to explore new ways to study religions in a largely urbanized environment.

Heaven is High, the Emperor Far Away

Heaven is High, the Emperor Far Away PDF Author: Valery M. Garrett
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN:
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 264

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Book Description
Through a richly illustrated text, this book recounts the vivid history of Canton, which in its heyday was the center of the China Trade and was for centuries the wonder of the Far East,

2017 Who's Who in the Martial Arts

2017 Who's Who in the Martial Arts PDF Author: Jessie Bowen
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 1387161539
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 442

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Book Description
Who's Who In The Martial Arts Legends Edition 2017 Who's Who in the Martial Arts Autobiography Book Volume 3 We Proudly Pay Tribute to Grand Master Jhoon Rhee and Extend Our Great Gratitude for His Life of Dedication and Service to So Many in the Martial Arts World. Many great Martial Artists have lost the chance to tell their life story. We want to preserve and share their journey with the world through the Who's Who in the Martial Arts Book. This autobiographical publication serves as a history book for today's Martial Artists. It is an essential guide for learning the history of our martial arts pioneers who have paved the way for today's martial arts. The book features over 250 martial artists sharing their journey, hard work, and personal achievements. Without the help and support of Grandmaster Jeff Smith and Joe Corley, this book would not have been possible.

Healing Art Of Tai Chi, The: Becoming One With Nature

Healing Art Of Tai Chi, The: Becoming One With Nature PDF Author: Martin J Lee
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9813271906
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 145

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Book Description
Is tai chi a stretching exercise, deep-breathing program, martial art, dance or prayer? Yes, it's all those and more.Tai chi, like many ancient Eastern practices, does not fit strict Western categories. Tai chi, together with the extraordinary self-healing method developed by Dr Lee, offers relief for stress, breathing disorders, muscular ailments, chronic headaches, and a variety of modern office- and sports-related complaints, as well as for deep emotional distress.Few today are as well positioned to explain the healing powers of tai chi as Dr. Martin Lee, a renowned engineering physicist and tai chi master. He and his wife, Emily, also a tai chi master, are the only Americans to have studied with Yu Pen-Shih, one of China's foremost ch'i kung masters. Dr. Lee has developed a groundbreaking practical program that combines Eastern and Western approaches to wellness, which he calls 'physical philosophy.' Its goal is to help people become 'one with nature,' a Buddhist term for the natural restoration of true health.The rewards of one-with-nature tai chi are inner happiness, self-control, self-realization, and self-healing. Each one of these benefits receives individual attention, complete with the 64 tai chi forms, thoroughly illustrated with photographs and diagrams. The central focus is on the flow of energy — the chi, or 'inner breath' — that tai chi evokes through Lee's four basic instructions: Relax. Breathe. Feel the earth. Do nothing extra. Here is a valuable health, exercise, and meditation program that combines ancient spiritual insights with advanced scientific knowledge and important original discoveries.

Armed Martial Arts of Japan

Armed Martial Arts of Japan PDF Author: G Hurst I
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 9780300116748
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
This unique history of Japanese armed martial arts--the only comprehensive treatment of the subject in English--focuses on traditions of swordsmanship and archery from ancient times to the present. G. Cameron Hurst III provides an overview of martial arts in Japanese history and culture, then closely examines the transformation of these fighting skills into sports. He discusses the influence of the Western athletic tradition on the armed martial arts as well as the ways the martial arts have remained distinctly Japanese. During the Tokugawa era (1600-1867), swordsmanship and archery developed from fighting systems into martial arts, transformed by the powerful social forces of peace, urbanization, literacy, and professionalized instruction in art forms. Hurst investigates the changes that occurred as military skills that were no longer necessary took on new purposes: physical fitness, spiritual composure, character development, and sport. He also considers Western misperceptions of Japanese traditional martial arts and argues that, contrary to common views in the West, Zen Buddhism is associated with the martial arts in only a limited way. The author concludes by exploring the modern organization, teaching, ritual, and philosophy of archery and swordsmanship; relating these martial arts to other art forms and placing them in the broader context of Japanese culture.

The Supreme Master Ching Hai’s 1993 World Lecture Tour

The Supreme Master Ching Hai’s 1993 World Lecture Tour PDF Author: The Supreme Master Ching Hai
Publisher: The Supreme Master Ching Hai Publishing Co Ltd.
ISBN:
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 309

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Book Description
1993 was a very special year. In response to the sincere longing of countless people, a fully enlightened living Master, enduring the hardships of a long journey, traveled around the world to share the news about immediate enlightenment and liberation in one lifetime. Her lecture tour, which caused a sensation around the world, sowed many spiritual seeds that have since germinated and are now playing a great role in elevating the spiritual consciousness of the world. With great respect and devotion, the lectures and interviews given by Supreme Master Ching Hai during this period were recorded, and have been compiled into six volumes. This series is being offered to you this Christmas season with the wish that you can stroll leisurely in Her vast wisdom and lose yourself in the boundless spiritual bliss that arises from the words of a perfect living Master.

The 48 Laws of Power

The 48 Laws of Power PDF Author: Robert Greene
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0670881465
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 481

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Book Description
Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control – from the author of The Laws of Human Nature. In the book that People magazine proclaimed “beguiling” and “fascinating,” Robert Greene and Joost Elffers have distilled three thousand years of the history of power into 48 essential laws by drawing from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz and also from the lives of figures ranging from Henry Kissinger to P.T. Barnum. Some laws teach the need for prudence (“Law 1: Never Outshine the Master”), others teach the value of confidence (“Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness”), and many recommend absolute self-preservation (“Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally”). Every law, though, has one thing in common: an interest in total domination. In a bold and arresting two-color package, The 48 Laws of Power is ideal whether your aim is conquest, self-defense, or simply to understand the rules of the game.