The Path of the Holy Fool summons each of us to become a Holy Fool: one who is accountable, stands for equality and social justice, embraces an ecological vision, and encourages community spirit. Lauren Artress, who established the two permanent labyrinths at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, is a leading force in the Labyrinth Movement. Her new book The Path of the Holy Fool: How the Labyrinth Ignites Our Visionary Powers expands upon her earlier work in Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice. Through the Parsifal story Artress suggests the labyrinth serves as a Grail that is discovered in the invisible, imaginative, in-between world symbolized by the Grail Castle. Most importantly this book invites readers to explore and reflect upon their own uniquely configured imaginations. It is through the imagination that self-reflection and raw experiences of the Holy occur. Once we navigate our imaginative processes without fear, the labyrinth experience ignites our creativity, heals our wounds and opens our big picture vision that nurtures empathy and gives us eyes to see and ears to hear-even through the sorrows of the pandemic-the call for a life-enhancing future. The labyrinth offers the Holy Fool an unwavering path as we learn to takes risks, create new modalities and find a way to contribute to our evolving world.

Lauren Artress reintroduces the ancient labyrinth, a walking meditation that trancends the limits of still meditation, and shows us the possibilities it brings for renewal and change. 'Walking the Labyrinth' has reemerged today as a metaphor for the spiritual journey and a powerful tool for transformation. This walking meditation is an archetype, a mystical ritual found in all religious traditions. It quiets the mind and opens the soul. Walking a Sacred Path explores the historical origins of this divine imprint and shares the discoveries of modern day seekers. It shows us the potential of the Labyrinth to inspire change and renewal, and serves as a guide to help us develop the higher level of human awareness we need to survive in the twenty-first century.

Richly written, Jesus the Holy Fool combines diverse images from religious traditions, world literature, Jungian archetype, and Scripture. Weaving the best theology and spirituality, Jesus the Holy Fool is a fresh and inviting Christology. The Scriptures tell us that religious leaders thought Jesus was "possessed," and his own family thought he was "crazy." In his open table fellowship, choice of followers, radical passion, and his death and resurrection, Jesus was willing to appear as a fool for the sake of God's reign. His teachings--especially the parables, paradoxes, and the beatitudes--advocate a way of life that is grounded in Holy Foolishness. Through an archetypal examination of the fool motif as it applies to Jesus in the Gospels, Jesus the Holy Fool develops the connections between holiness and folly. Offering new insights into Christology and exploring its practical pastoral ramifications, Jesus the Holy Fool presents Holy Foolishness as a paradigm for the Christian journey and as a new model of what it means for us to be church.

You can change the world—one audience at a time! Today's challenging times call for passionate visionaries who are authentic and articulate communicators. Speaking coach and consultant Gail Larsen presents a proven program that liberates the "speaker within" and transforms even the reluctant orator into an agent of change. While most books on public speaking focus on polishing your presentation and overcoming fear, Larsen's holistic blend of spirit and logic goes far beyond the standard format, making TRANSFORMATIONAL SPEAKING a must-read for even the most seasoned speechmakers. With her uniquely inspirational approach, Larsen reaches out to those who want to make a genuine difference in our world by changing minds through touching hearts. TRANSFORMATIONAL SPEAKING offers insightful advice on everything from defining your message and refining your delivery, to managing the dynamics of a room, handling logistics like a pro, and building a connection with an audience of any size. Larsen has helped business executives and entrepreneurs, community and social change leaders, and healers and life coaches become active movers and shakers through the power of effective communication.

"Rumi wrote: 'Love came and became like blood in my body.' Love came to Vincent Parmentola and became words on these pages. Diary of a Holy Fool is a great series of spiritual journeys filled with Love, Light, Poetry, the deepest Wisdom, and a map to the best states to live in: Fulfillment and Nirvana. Read and Reap. - Michael Modzelewski, author of INSIDE PASSAGES and ANGELES CREST In Diary of a Holy Fool, author Vincent Parmentola expresses his spiritual insights in a language rich in prose and poetry designed to capture the profound meaning of his phenomenal adventures while on the path of self-discovery. Inspired by the words of Jalaluddin Rumi, the great Persian poet (1207-1273), Parmentola traces his journey to find spiritual perfection and closeness to God. The path of enlightenment is a journey of the spirit and of discovering one's true self, the authentic being that abides at the very center of our consciousness and attempts to answer the eternal questions: Who am I? What is the purpose in my being here? This is a journey of wonder and surprises consisting of peaks, valleys, and the occasional plateau, when nothing seems to be happening, at least to the conscious mind. Parmentola recalls a time when outward success as a fashion designer was a distracting camouflage for the discontent rumbling-a rumbling that led to his discovery of Rumi and the beginning of his journey of self-discovery. By sharing his exciting personal experiences and thoughts in Diary of a Holy Fool, Parmentola hopes to enliven, motivate, and encourage those with the desire to undertake their own journey of spiritual awakening.

Pastor Woodley offers a fresh view of "holy folly," an ancient spiritual approach that combines humor, irony, spiritual discipline, surprise, radical compassion, and passionate faith--many qualities that the postmodern world hungers for. (Practical Life)