The warrior within

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Thomas Merton

"This book is not a systematic treatise, but only a collection of personal notes on the Psalter. They are the notes of a monk, written in the monastic tradition, and one supposes that they might appeal above all to monks. But in this mysterious age, there is no telling whom the book may reach--although no one expects it to reach everybody. As for those readers who can only regard the Psalms as "literature" ... this book will at least offer them some of the reasons why the Psalter seems to be more than literature to those of us who have made it our bread in the wilderness." [Prologue].

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Louis Two Ravens Irwin and Robert Liebert

"This is the story of a remarkable Native American who through his own life struggles learned to unite the paths of warrior and healer. Two Ravens was taught the traditional healing ways of his Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arickara people by his grandfather, knowledge which served him well in his dealings with the hostile white society he later encountered. After years of rampant discrimination and racism, he became a warrior in the fight for the rights of his people He joined the efforts of Leonard Peltier, Leonard Crow Dog, Frank Clearwater, and many other prominent leaders to ensure that his people might live in peace and with respect. But the constant battles often left Two Ravens censured both by fellow Native Americans who supported a more conservative political agenda and white law enforcement agencies who considered him an outlaw. Pulled between different worlds, he struggled against alcoholism and despair. It was only when he returned to his grandfather's teachings that he discovered a way to join the paths of the warrior and the healer. In the years before his death, Two Ravens worked as a substance abuse counselor and spiritual adviser, helping others integrate Native American traditions into their lives in contemporary America. "--Amazon.com.

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John Michael Talbot with Steve Rabey

The life of St. Francis of Assisi was a paradigm of simplicity, humanity, and love. In today's busy world, his practices have enormous appeal, described in this inspiring work by John Michael Talbot, the founder of The Brothers and Sisters of Charity, a lay order based on the Franciscan principles of simplicity and self-sufficiency. In The Lessons Of St. Francis, Talbot and co-author Steve Rabey demonstrate the enduring significance of Franciscan wisdom. Organized by topic, such as Simplicity, Humility, Compassion, Solitude, Service, and Prayer, each chapter includes excerpts from the writings of St. Francis, as well as those of his followers and biographers. Combining deep spiritual insights with the offer of a saner, less chaotic way of living, The Lessons Of St. Francis offers wise advice on how to incorporate these virtues into our own lives today.

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Matthew Polly

Growing up a ninety-pound weakling tormented by bullies, Matthew Polly dreamed of one day journeying to the Shaolin Temple in China to become a fighter like in his favorite 1970s TV series, Kung Fu. Later, Matthew decided to pursue this quixotic dream: he dropped out of Princeton to spend two years training with the legendary sect of monks who invented kung fu and Zen Buddhism. Expecting to find an isolated citadel of supernatural ascetics, he instead discovered a tacky tourist trap run by Communist party hacks--but the dedicated monks still trained in the rigorous age-old fighting forms. As Matthew grew in his knowledge of China and kung fu skill, he would come to represent the Temple in challenge matches and international competitions, and ultimately the monks would accept their new American initiate as close to one of their own as any Westerner had ever become.--From publisher description.