Gifts of the Spirit: Living the Wisdom of the Great Religious Traditions – An Interfaith Handbook of Ancient Rituals and Mindful Practices for Everyday Life

by Philip Zaleski, Paul Kaufman

Drawing on the wisdom of teacher from the world's great religious traditions, including Robert Thurman, Sharon Salzberg, Ram Dass, Mother Mary Clare Vincent, Joan Halifax, and Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man, Gifts of the Spirit deepens our appreciation of such everyday routines as waking up, eating, and working, as well as the abundant rewards of enjoying music, gardening, walking, and being with others. Vivid descriptions of rituals from around the world help us find new spiritual meaning in life's key passages. Discover everyday spiritual riches

Genres: Spirituality, Religion, Nonfiction

271 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Z...

Excerpts from The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings: J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams available here:

http://chronicle.com/article/Oxfords-...

http://us.macmillan.com/excerpt?isbn=...

Reviews

[Johnny Stork, MSc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I found the earlier parts of this book a little narrow in scope and possibly a bit monotheistic, there is coverage of various spiritual traditions from Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Native American Indian, Hindu, Islam and others, along with the many ways in which various practices and rituals support a sacred life.

“That has been the aim of this book: to display the depth and diversity of spiritual knowledge available to us today and to suggest ways in which it can make a difference in our everyday lives.” (P. Zaleski)

However, the last few chapters are (IMHO) the best and they reflect the original drive to begin the book which Zaleski describes in the final chapter - he spent time with his dying father and started to wonder what it means to leave this world and to die consciously and mindfully. The chapters on death are the best in the book (in my opinion) and well worth reading for this alone.

"Only by holding in mind our mortality, our contingency on a mystery far greater than us, do we reach our full stature as human beings. Only in the awareness of death do we draw the full measure of life.” (P. Zaleski)

"To die a collected death, to make one’s farewells with grace, generosity, and even a dash of humor, to greet the afterlife as friend rather than foe: such is the aim of conscious dying in the world’s religious traditions." (P. Zaleski)

“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” (Syndey Carton)