A cross-disciplinary exploration of comparative religion that offers a "unified field theory" of religion as human behavior.In this book, anthropologist and spiritual explorer Felicitas Goodman examines ritual, the religious trance, alternate reality, ethics and moral code, and the named category designating religion. The analysis is divided into two sections. The first reviews species-wide human traits that form the basis for religious behavior. Goodman, in specula...

The author of the Exorcism of Anneliese Michel "is to be commended for a stimulating and wide-reaching treatment of a compelling and much-debated subject" ( Journal of Folklore Research).As part of a series that strives to introduce new or previously unrecognized folkloric phenomena—as well as new approaches and theories that result from discovery and investigation— How About Demons? provides an overview of a topic that has for many years...

Rappel: Break Through To A Better You is a tool for transformation-created with the intention of guiding you toward clarity, courage, and personal freedom. These breakthroughs are not meant to be rushed or consumed all at once. They are sacred moments of reflection. Choose to honor them at your own pace.As a child, I was captivated by books with real-life illustrations and heartfelt stories. One of my all-time favorites, The Lonely Doll, is still one of my most pr...

A modern introduction to traditional Buddhist psychologyThis practical overview of Buddhist psychology outlines step-by-step methods for examining the source of our habitual tendencies and hangups. In order to truly free ourselves from perpetuating patterns of suffering, the Buddha offered a clear system for understanding our psychological dispositions, processes, fixations, and challenges--a system known as the Abhidharma. This tradition has been studied by Buddhi...

This book focuses on machine learning (ML) assisted evolutionary multi- and many-objective optimization (EMâO). EMâO algorithms, namely EMâOAs, iteratively evolve a set of solutions towards a good Pareto Front approximation. The availability of multiple solution sets over successive generations makes EMâOAs amenable to application of ML for different pursuits.Recognizing the immense potential for ML-based enhancements in the EMâO domain, this book intends to serve as an exclusive r...

"Dr. Goodman has pioneered in the study of bodily postures and altered states of consciousness." —Stanley Krippner, professor of personal mythology and parapsychology"And suddenly the understanding of my own vision washed over me like a mighty wave . . . For life or for death, I was committed to that mighty realm of which I was shown a brief reminder, the world where all was forever motion and emergence, that realm where the spirits ride the wind." —from the Pro...

If you like Tiger King, you'll love Setting the Family Free! The loner who collects unusual things. The private reserve of exotic pets released into a rural Ohio community. The estranged wife who loves the animals like family. The caretaker who knows the beasts are dangerous. The neighbors and locals who fall victim to attack. The reporters who present the incidents to the world. The Sheriff and his team of experts who must hunt the creatures down. The animal advocate who winces at the spe...

Stuart believes romantic love is like the cycle of a cicada: a few months of excited buzz—romance, lust, excitement—followed by a monotonous silence that can’t live up to the promise at the start. He strings together more than broken relationships, seeking art in the defective. After finding love, sabotaging it, and rekindling the fire again, Stu comes to understand that his drive to end relationships prematurely and his attraction to damaged goods are connected to his fear of being broken...

Multicultural counseling and psychology evolved as a response to the Eurocentrism prevalent in the Western healing professions and has been used to challenge the Eurocentric, patriarchal, and heteronormative constructs commonly embedded in counseling and psychology. Ironically, some of the practices and paradigms commonly associated with “multiculturalism” reinforce the very hegemonic practices and paradigms that multicultural counseling and psychology approaches were created to correct.

The Color of Jadeite is a literary thriller full of intrigue, romance, treacherous villains, alluring clues, narrow escapes, and surprises around every corner. Clive Allan, a suave private eye, ventures throughout China in search of an ancient jadeite tablet from the Ming dynasty. Along the way, he delves into the mysteries of China’s art, history, and culture. Every bit as captivating as the treasure Clive seeks is the mysterious Wei Wei, an expert on Chinese artifacts who helps the droll...

Help change the world by bringing ideas of social justice into your group work practice!Social workers who use hip-hop music to reach out to troubled adolescents. Practitioners who compare First Nations talking circles with social work practice with groups. A retired professor who transforms the way her fellow senior living center residents participate in their world. Fathers of children with spina bifida who help one another through an online discussion group. These and other exam...

The authors incorporate the neurologic examination into a play framework, wherein they can analyze a child's personality and development, searching for 'soft' signs of postural or motor incoordination, and for 'hard' signs of childrens' mental status.