Cosmic Fishing

The metaphor is a hallmark of Classical Hebrew poetry. Some metaphors, such as “Yhwh is king” or “Yhwh is warrior,” play a foundational role. The same does not hold for metaphors from the fishing industry. Because they had access to only two major freshwater sources, archaeological research demonstrates that this industry did not play a major socioeconomic role in ancient Israel. Fishing has nevertheless made a substantial contribution to prophetic and wisdom literature. All metaphors manifest reality, but given the physical circumstances of a largely agrarian, nonmarine society, what does the sustained presentation of fishing metaphors in the Hebrew Bible communicate? Examining the use of fishing images in the Hebrew Bible is a formidable task that demands an open mind and a capacity to mine the gamut of contemporaneous evidence. In Fishers of Fish and Fishers of Men, Tyler Yoder presents the first literary study devoted to the fishing images used in the Hebrew Scriptures as well as in the Mesopotamian textual records. This calls for a penetrating look into cultural contact with Israel’s neighbors to the east (Mesopotamia) and southwest (Egypt). Though nearly all fishing metaphors in the Hebrew Bible carry overt royal or divine connotations that mirror uses well-attested in Mesopotamian literature, this comparative analysis remains a largely untapped area of research. In this study of the diverse literary qualities of fishing images, Yoder offers a holistic understanding of how one integral component of ancient Near Eastern society affected the whole, bringing together the assemblage of disparate materials related to this field of study to enable scholars to integrate these data into related research and move the conversation forward.

When life deals you a particularly difficult blow or a staggering loss, how do you handle it? If you’re like most, you might think Why me?, struggle to find your way, or lash out at those around you. But there are a select few who seem emotionally hardier, who are able to face life’s physical, emotional, and financial hits undeterred and perhaps even forge ahead, empowered in the face of adversity. These people aren’t more deserving or luckier than the rest of us; they simply think differently–they are connected with their steady inner self and find strength where others might see meaninglessness; they make life-affirming choices instead of defeatist ones. In short, they are spiritually bulletproof. They face as many of life’s slings and arrows as the rest of us, but they don’t succumb to hardship or misfortune. And you can be one of them. In The Secrets of the Bulletproof Spirit, renowned peace activist Azim Khamisa and inspirational speaker Jillian Quinn reveal the thirty essential keys to emotional and spiritual resiliency. Based upon their own experiences with heart-wrenching loss, the strategies they present may seem simple, but their advice can open up a whole new way of thinking. Khamisa and Quinn will help you discover • that your thoughts help to create your reality, and that you can use them to take control of your life • the potentially damaging mental routines you’re running on autopilot • the vital connections between your upbringing and your “resiliency quotient” • spiritually affirming thoughts that may help you make more spiritually empowering choices “What lies within you really is more powerful than any hit you may take physically, emotionally, or materially,” the authors write. With their help, readers will find themselves more confident and secure in a volatile and uncertain world. When you learn to identify most strongly with that invincible core–your bulletproof spirit–you tap into the truest source of security available to you. And while there’s no foolproof way to stay out of the proverbial line of fire, the information, inspiration, and tools in this book will provide you with an emotional bulletproof vest, a way to take hits and come out on top. From the Hardcover edition.

The Appendix of the Omnidoxy is the post-disquisitional segment of the Omnidoxy making up 460,000 words and principally includes The Grand Lexicon of Astronology, the Omnidoxical Encyclopaedia of Astronism, and the Glossary of the Omnidoxy. This segment comprises a significant portion of the entire Omnidoxy, just under one quarter of the entire text and is classified as the Peripheral Omnidoxy alongside the Preppendix of the Omnidoxy which resides before The Twelve Grand Disquisitions.

A comprehensive guide to the history of human interaction with the creatures of the earth, air, and water. This book provides historical perspective on mankind's complicated relationship with all creatures, from tiny insects to larger beasts. From the alligator to the wryneck, key animals from every continent are profiled, with articles focusing on how different cultures viewed the creatures with which they shared land, and the ones they considered omens of gods and devils. In addition to the numerous articles on specific animals, there are also entries on the role of animals in Christian art, and how shamans took the form and power of animals in key ceremonies. The work is highly illustrated, and subjects of major interest are provided with individual bibliographies of further reading on the subject at the end of each article.

After his nearly 100 years of seeking, Franck’s reflections on what really matters will help you to savor what truly matters in your own life. "Could the meaning of being born human be, to become Human?" This elegantly simple book of reflections presents the rich harvest of a lifetime of thinking, feeling, and seeing by an artist whose vital spirituality has inspired hundreds of thousands of readers and students through his art, books, and workshops. The pithy, sometimes humorous, always wise contemplations reveal Franck’s lifelong confrontation with the human in himself and others. Originally jotted down as reflections for himself and close friends, Franck’s insights will challenge you to consider new ways of experiencing your spiritual path and to savor what truly matters. Previously published as A Little Compendium on That Which Matters by St. Martin’s Press

We're going on a bear hunt. Through the long wavy grass, the thick oozy mud and the swirling, whirling snowstorm - will we find a bear today?