Wisdom Walk: Nine Practices for Creating Peace and Balance from the World's Spiritual Traditions »

After experiencing her own crisis of faith, Sage Bennet developed an eclectic spiritual life, borrowing rituals from many religions and traditions. In Wisdom Walk she outlines some of the most powerful of those practices, making them accessible to contemporary readers without diminishing or disrespecting their subtle nuances. Drawing from Hinduism, she explains how to create a home altar as a reminder of a larger spiritual presence. She explores how Buddhist meditation helps one find peace. From Islam comes surrendering to prayer, and from Christianity the practice of forgiveness. There's even Native American spirituality in the form of a chapter on letting nature be one’s teacher. A final, summarizing chapter, brings together all the traditions, demonstrates their fundamental unity, and discusses the importance of offering oneself in service to others. Wisdom Walk provides a simple, easy-to-follow guide for bringing the world’s spiritual traditions into one’s life through practical, powerful rituals.

Publishers Weekly

For ordained minister Bennett, familiarity breeds wisdom. She examines eight of the world's great faith traditions, mining them for transcendent practices and forms applicable to any spiritual discipline. Prior to a culminating multifaith chapter on service, Bennett explores Hinduism's home altars; Buddhism's meditation practices; Islam's rewards of surrendering in a daily cascade of prayers; Judaism's observance of the Sabbath to keep relationships with friends and family intact; Christianity's rich legacy of forgiveness; Native American spirituality's nature insights; Taoism's trust in the processes of life; and New Thought's application of "visioning" to discern calling and course. Each chapter uses broad brush strokes to cover the elements of each tradition, as well as the author's running personal narrative to reveal how this approach has unfolded in her own life and teaching. Bennett's thrust is always on seeing how other traditions can support, not erode or supplant, an existing faith. Practical application steps and stories of how her students reacted to and integrated these gifts further serve to make this a lively, honest and substantive conduit toward meaningful conversation in the explosive arena of religion. (Apr.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Acknowledgments     xi
Introduction     xiii
Hinduism: Create a Home Altar     1
Buddhism: Meditate and Find Peace     21
Islam: Surrender to Prayer     47
Christianity: Forgive Yourself and Others     75
Judaism: Make Time for the Sabbath     99
Native American Spirituality: Let Nature be Your Teacher     123
Taoism: Go with the Flow     151
New Thought: Catch God's Vision of Your Life     183
All Traditions: Offer Yourself in Service to Others     207
Epilogue: Acquiring a Taste for Wisdom     235
Tools for the Journey     245
Reflections on Your Wisdom Walk     263
Wisdom Walk Checklist     265
Notes     269
Bibliography     275
About the Author     281