Miracle as Modern Conundrum in South Asian Religious Traditions

Product Description

Looks at perceptions of the miraculous in a variety of contemporary South Asian religious traditions--Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity.

From the Back Cover

Claims of the miraculous are foundational to faith and skepticism, making and breaking religious careers and movements in their wake. Drawing on a variety of South Asian religious traditions--Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity--this book revolves around the theme of conundrum, demonstrating how miracles offer divine proof, tenacious embarrassment, and, in many cases, both. The contributors explore not only how modern miracles are conundrums themselves but also how they make conundrums out of assumed divides between scientific and supernatural realms, modernity and tradition, the West and the rest, and ethnographer and native. "This topic and the various ancillary questions raised by the contributors lie at the heart of understanding religiosity. This is an excellent, even courageous, compilation, and the sheer magnitude of so many different types of miraculous stories presented within a sensitive and astute framework makes this an outstanding contribution to the study of religion." -- Constantina Rhodes Bailly, author of Shaiva Devotional Songs of Kashmir: A Translation and Study of Utpaladeva's Shivastotravali
Contributors include Chad M. Bauman, Corinne G. Dempsey, Joyce Burkhalter Flueckiger, Ann Grodzins Gold, Sunil Goonasekera, William P. Harman, Selva J. Raj, Robin Rinehart, and Neelima Shukla-Bhatt.

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Coloring Mandalas 3: Circles of the Sacred Feminine (Shambhala Pocket Classics) [Spiral-bound]

 

Product Description

Coloring the circular designs known as mandalas is a relaxing, meditative activity enjoyed by adults and children alike. The mandalas in this book are specially designed to provide a creative encounter with the Divine as a feminine presence. The archetypal imagery of the circle—appearing in the form of organic shapes of nature, the curves of the female body, the womb and childbirth rituals, the circular turning of cosmic rhythms, or geometric designs conveying the primal energy of the Goddess—celebrates the full range of the sacred feminine, from gentle and motherly to fierce and challenging.

An introductory essay traces the stream of the sacred feminine from prehistoric sources through modern spiritual traditions and the work of contemporary scholars of psychology and religion. Mandalas for coloring include designs based on ancient European artifacts, traditional Hindu yantras, and contemporary art. Full-color illustrations provide inspiration, and instructions for drawing your own geometric mandalas add to the creative possibilities. Coloring Mandalas 3 will appeal particularly to individuals and groups who wish to explore spirituality as a pathway to deeper meaning and personal growth.

About the Author

Susanne F. Fincher, MA, is a Jungian-oriented psychotherapist, a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Board Certified Art Therapist, and an internationally known expert using mandala-making for self-exploration. Through her workshops on creativity, people are able to engage their inner resources for insight, healing, and self-expression. 

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