ABiA Borrowing Library BOOK DRIVE
As you know, we've been collecting books on ABiA topics over the last two years. On occasion we've even displayed them as an example of our diverse topical interests and as a way of offering them on loan. You'll be happy to find out that the collection is large enough now, however, that we need to list them by topic! We can still use any you'd like to donate so keep us in mind if you’re downsizing your collection! Any topic on any belief system is welcome.
What are Beliefs? / Faith / Religion / Their roots and where they fit
Needleman’s The New Religions, 1970.
Hinnells’s Dictionary of Religions from Abraham to Zoroaster, 1984.
Clark, Malony, Daane, and Tippett’s Religious Experience: Its Nature and Function In the Human Psyche, 1973.
Cox's The Seduction of the Spirit: The Use and Misuse of People's Religion, 1973.
Spong's Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, 1991.
Kah’s The New World Religion, 1998.
Reinch's Orpheus: A History of Religions, 1930.
Melton's New Age Almanac, 1991.
Murray's Myth and Mythmaking, 1960.
Durant and Durant's The Age of Faith, 1950.
Berger's Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion, 1969.
Bohm's Unfolding Meaning, 1985.
Davies, The Mind of God: The scientific basis for a rational world, 1992.
Russell's From Science to God: The mystery of consciousness and the meaning of light, 2000.
Bohm's Wholeness and the Implicate Order, 2000.
Marty and Peerman, New Theology No. 4, 1967.
Meditation / Prayer / Centering Studies / Mind Expansion
Sweeney's Praying with Our Hands: 21 practices of embodied prayer from the world's spiritual traditions, 2000.
Housden’s Retreat, Time Apart for Silence & Solitude, 1995.
Norris's The Cloister Walk, 1996.
Shuman's Source Imagery: Releasing the Power of Your Creativity, 1977.
Ray's Celebration of Breath, 1986.
Underhill's Mysticism, 1955.
Keyes's Handbook for Higher Consciousness, 1975.
Zen Studies / Buddhism / Hinduism / Views from the East
Burtt’s The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha, 1955.
Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, 1974.
Larson’s The Religion of the Occident, 1961.
Reynolds’s Playing Ball on Running Water, 1984.
Furlong’s Zen Effects – The life of Alan Watts, 1986.
Sudo’s Zen Computer, 1999.
Ray’s Gandhian Ethics, 1958.
Fischer’s Gandhi, His life and message for the world, 1954.
Low’s Zen Meditation Plain and Simple, 1989.
Kodikal’s), 1992.
Larkin's Stumbling Toward Enlightenment, 1997.
Zen, The Perfect Companion, 2003, adapted from questions and commentary by Zen Master Seung Sahn
Too’s The Buddha Book, 2003.
Ziff’s novel, Tibet, 1981.
Pamu's Dharma That Every Buddhist Must Follow, 2001.
Chodron's The Wisdom of No Escape, 1991.
Suzuki’s Studies in Zen, 1955.
Wabi Sabi Simple, Richard Powell, 2006
Simpkins and Simpkins’s Simple Confucionism, 2000.
Swami Sri Yukteswar’s The Holy Science, 1977.
Watts's The Spirit of Zen, 1960.
Simpkins and Simpkins's Simple Taoism, 1999.
Head and Cranston's Reincarnation: An East and West Anthology, 1961.
Judaism / Christian Denominations
Armstrong’s The Battle for God – A history of fundamentalism, 2001.
Henry’s Politics for Evangelicals, 1974.
Thompson’s Through the Ages – A history of the Christian Church, 1965.
Spong’s Liberating the Gospels, 1996.
Sander’s The Historical Figure of Jesus, 1993.
The Book of Mormon, 1981 printing.
Romer's Testament: The Bible and History, 1988.
The Bible, in the Korean language, 1958.
Passantino's Witch Hunt, 1990.
The Tanakh Holy Scriptures, Torah, Nevi'im, and Kethuvim, 1985.
The Psychology of Religion and / or just simply the Mind
Kant’s Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone, 1960.
Hoeller’s The Gnostic Jung and the Seven Sermons of the Dead, 1994.
A Casebook on Existentialism, William Spanos, 1966
Bohm’s Wholeness and the Implicate Order, 2000.
Pearce's The Crack in the Cosmic Egg: Challenging Constructs of Mind and Body, 1977.
Kingdon’s Self-Made Man – Human Evolution from Eden to Extinction?, 1993.
Russell’s From Science to God – The Mystery of Consciousness and the Meaning of Light, 2000.
Schrodinger’s My View of the World, 1983.
Jung's Psyche and Symbol, 1991.
Satprem’s The Mind of Cells, 1982.
American Shamanism / Amerindianism
Coggin’s The Recovery Medicine Wheel, 1998.
Deer and Erdoes, Gift of Power – The life and teachings of a Lakota Medicine Man, 1992.
Castaneda’s A Separate Reality, 1975.
Castaneda’s A Separate Reality, 1971.
Castaneda’s Journey to Ixtlan, 1972.
Marlow and Rael's Being & Vibration, 1993.
Meadows's The Medicine Way, 1997.
Castaneda’s The Teachings of Don Juan – A Yaqui Way of Knowledge, 1998.
Halifax's Shamanic Voices, 1979.
Kroeber's Ishi in Two Worlds, 1967.
Garrett and Garrett's Medicine of the Cherokee, 1996.
Dhyani Ywahoo's Voices of our Ancestors, 1987.
Atheism / Agnosticism / Humanism
De Bona's God Rejected: A Summary of Atheistic Thought, 1976.
Islam
Karsh’s Islamic Imperialism: A History, 2006.
Muhaiyaddeen's Islam & World Peace: Explanations of a Sufi, 1987.
Varying Americanizations
Heider's The Tao of Leadership, 1988.
Quinn’s Providence: The story of a fifty-year vision quest, 1995.
Csikszentmihalyi’s Finding Flow, 1997.
Bristol’s The Magic of Believing, 1948.
Wicca / Pagan Studies
Cunningham’s Wicca – A guide for the solitary practitioner, 1999.
Symbolism
Schirch’s Ritual and Symbol in Peacebuilding, 2005.
Jung's Psyche and Symbol, 1991.
Biedermann's Dictionary of Symbolism, 1992.
Jung's Man and His Symbols, 1968.
Varying Faiths / Regional Studies / Misc.
Lindsey’s There’s a New World Coming, 1974.
Faizi’s The Bahai Faith – An Introduction, 1975.
Jampolsky’s The Story of Edgar Cayce, 1997.
Schwartz's Faith, Serpents, and Fire: Images of Kentucky Holiness Believers, 1999.
Renard's The Disappearance of the Universe, 2003.
Bahai articles compiled by Mrs. Toby Khorram.
Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, 1987.
Bjornstad's The Moon is not the Sun, 1976.
Shamballa Multi-Dimensional Healing
Woodrow’s Babylon Mystery Religion, 1981.
Huxley’s Religion without Revelation, 1957.
Welcome!
Join Us In Living Cultural Tolerance, Educational Projects, and
Community Cooperation
We are...
All Beliefs in Action (ABiA)
Mission: All Beliefs in Action, or ABiA, strives to bring together, for the purpose of experiential learning and enhancing our respect for a beautifully diverse world, the vast array of belief systems represented by LMU students, Faculty, and staff as well as the larger Cumberland Gap region. We invite everyone to our periodic meetings for discussions on how to participate in building a more cooperative world by influencing our portion of that global society.
Beliefs in our Community
Christian Denominations
Islam
Judaism
Bahai
Shinto
Hinduism
Buddhism
Agnosticism
Humanism
Wiccan
Pagan
Taoism
Native Spirituality
Mysticism
ABiA is a number of things to a number of our community members. It is first and foremost, wherever we choose to meet, a safe space for the unbiased, cooperative exchange of our many expressed belief systems. It is also an organization striving to set an outward example of tolerance by giving love to one another through interest and support. Started by a handful of LMU faculty, staff, and students, we meet regularly on campus, at members’ homes, or at activity sites in order to learn outside the bounds of walls and our own comfortable places. Like the challenge of understanding the world outside our own minds, ABiA’s work is unfinished and always rewarding. You're invited to our meetings! Send us your suggestions on future topics and community work. Namaste!
ABiA E-Communiqué
Our occasional e-journal keeping you up-to-date on local and regional diversity events and initiatives. Send us your news and comments at:
Please join us in welcoming Chief Passionate Heart to the region, Chief of the United Cherokee Nation for the Tennessee and Kentucky areas! ~~Osiyo~~
Bear Spirit Grounds Dedication
The first of many potential spiritual ceremonies was conducted at Bear Spirit Grounds on June 24, 2007. The three acre wooded site, located in Claiborne County, Tennessee, has been a three year project of Rick Runningbear who is a member of the Buffalo Creek Band and active in the Chota Band of the SeCCI. The focal point of the grounds is the Sacred Circle, an oval shaped ceremonial site with open beams for a canopy and an inner circle surrounded by 7 white poles representing the 7 Cherokee clans.
"Something seemed to drive me to make this Sacred Circle", said Runningbear in reference for the motivation behind the creation. "I did not know at first just why I began to clear and level this spot....but at each step of the way...it opened up to me what I should do next "according to Runningbear. In addition to the Circle itself.....there is a 1/3 mile trail that loops around the wooded acreage along which one can view various items of interest that honor the Cherokee ancestors.
Approximately 32 people were on the scene for the blessing and dedication ceremony which was conducted by Chief Howling Wolf of the Chota Band assisted by Southern Owl of the same band. Firekeeper duties were performed by Big Bear of Harriman, Tennessee and drumming and chanting was supplied by Watching Hawk of Blount County, Tennessee. Facilities were available for those who chose to go to water...using large basins..one for the men and the other for women. Also purification was administered to guests by the ceremonial leaders using sage for smudging.
Prior to the actual blessing ceremony some chose to walk on the Sacred Circle trail...and view the Thunderbird totem pole, a watering hole for the Spirit of the Bear, Three Braves Point where one can sit on large hand shaped seats and view the names of Cherokee heroes on a large three trunked tree adorned with colored feather adornments made by the hands of Chief Thunderfoot of the Buffalo Creek band. Lighted torches were viewed along the trail to add festiveness to the event. Also viewed along the trail was a large hollow tree which is named "Little People Lodge". There were no reports of sightings of little people at this event....but it is known that they are only seen if they want to be seen.
During the blessing ceremony, Southern Owl spoke in the Eastern dialect of Cherokee and with the use of his medicine staff....sought blessings from the sacred directions. Howling Wolf translated into English that which was chanted by Southern Owl. At length the people were allowed to enter the Circle with Cedar bark (a sacred wood of the Cherokee) to gift to the fire keeper who was within the inner circle. These were presented to the sacred fire...along with corn meal and tobacco.
Representations of several animal totems were viewed around the outer circle to include the Eagle, Wolf, Coyote, Hawk, Owl, Turtle, Snake, Lizard, Deer and others. These represent some of the various medicines recognized by the Cherokee as well as other native peoples. Above each inner post were eagles poised for flight facing outward in each direction. On each inner post was mounted a shield with art work of Runningbear depicting each of the 7 clans. Below these were 4 plaques on each post with art work depicting various aspects of Cherokee life and culture.
Present at the dedication were Larry Thacker of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee who heads up an organization named "All Beliefs In Action" which promotes harmony and understanding of all spiritual beliefs and encourages preservation of the environment. Also present was Don Spirit Hawk Sizemore of the Tsalagi Mountain Grounds near Pineville, Kentucky who is a noted author of several books regarding the Cherokee people and their culture.
At the conclusion of the ceremony the people participated in feast in a wooded park-like area nearby and there was good conversation and socialization. It is expected that Bear Spirit Grounds will play an important role in the activities of SeCCI and other groups of good heart who wish to honor the ancestors and the spirit of the bear..as well as come to learn and appreciate the culture of the Cherokee and other native peoples. It is a peaceful and tranquil spot where one can escape from the fast pace of modern civilization and slow down and meditate how it must have been here a few hundred years ago....when the Native American lived a simpler but apparently more spiritual and beautiful lifestyle.
R.R.B. (Rick Running Bear)
RESOURCES: Links on topics related to ABiA interests and / or past topics
http://www.highlandercenter.org/
http://www.multifaithaction.org/
http://www.oasisinstitute.org/index.htm
http://www.secularhumanism.org
http://www.theunitedcherokeenation.com