A Spiritual Sojourn

A Spiritual Sojourn is an autobiographical collection of poems based on the poet’s life experiences. It records incidents from the poet’s journey through childhood right up to her middle-age years—from being a sick child to becoming a healthy adult. She expresses her struggles, fears, dreams, visions, and her near-death experiences through her lucid poetry. Some of the poems are of a philosophical, spiritual, or devotional nature. Readers will certainly be able to relate to the poet as she relates how she overcomes obstacles and triumphs over the setbacks in her life.

She didn’t know it at the time but when the author first launched her paddle board into the Chesapeake Bay, it would be the beginning of a great spiritual journey. This journey would bring many encounters with the presence of God in His inspiring creation. Through the synthesis of journalling, reflection and photography, and through the dual lenses of counselling and Christianity, this book was born.

We're in a spiritual double bind! The symbols, metaphors and stories of the religious and spiritual traditions no longer enable us to engage the awe and mystery of the cosmos in a way that gives us place and meaning. At the same time, modern reasoning with all its technical brilliance takes us into a box canyon of knowing reality where we are spiritually alone, all alone . . . Sojourn in the Cosmic Night detours from the traditions of spiritual and reasoning knowing for a journey into the dark night of soul. It can be a terrifying! Yet, a Recognition here from the Source of all that is can open the way to heal the divorce between sacred spirit and secular reason that occurred in the Renaissance, giving us new ground for knowing who we are and why we are here

Drawing on her travels in modern-day Egypt and her lifelong study of Egyptian mythology and art, Normandi Ellis takes us on a moving autobiographical journey through the sacred sites and rituals of Egypt's past, revealing their restorative and transformative power for contemporary women like herself. Ellis's spell-binding prose weaves a tapestry of the personal past and the spiritual eternal in this exploration of the secret wisdom of ancient Egypt.

As one walks through these confessional essays, one encounters Karl and his world, where the personal, political, and spiritual are interwoven into a Lumad design.

The idea of a journey without companions is too daunting for most travelers. Not so the women of this collection. These contemporary pioneers savor the ultimate freedom of solo travel. Marybeth Bond discovers the dubious pleasures of desert camel-riding when she decides to follow an ancient Indian trading route. Faith Adiele, a black Buddhist nun, enters a deserted train station at 3:00 a.m. in a Thai village controlled by armed bandits. Ena Singh negotiates with Russian police to visit the blue-domed city of Samarkand. In A Woman Alone, these women and others tell their funny, thrilling, occasionally terrifying, ultimately transformative stories of navigating some of the most unusual destinations on the globe.

Once every twelve years the planets align in aconfiguration eagerly awaited by millions of Hindudevotees. It is time for the Nashik Kumbh Mela agathering of sadhus, pilgrims, and tourists whocongregate for a dip in the Godavari, one of India sholy rivers. The very act of setting out for the Kumbh,the journey, the austere, often difficult stay, allculminate in this holy dip, which the faithful believewill wash away their sins. Nashik Kumbh Mela: ASpiritual Sojourn draws us into the very heart ofthis ancient festival, with insights into its origin andsignificance, and into the world of the reclusivesadhus. Govind Swarup s close-ups and magnificentaerial shots capture the essence of this immense andtime-honoured congregation.