Ancient Religion

Mystery cults are one of the most intriguing areas of Greek and Roman religion. In the nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis, participants dramatically reenacted the story of Demeter's loss and recovery of her daughter Persephone; in the Bacchic cult, bands of women ran wild in the Greek countryside to honor Dionysus; in the mysteries of Mithras, men came to understand the nature of the universe and their place within it through frightening initiation ceremonies and astrological teachings.

Civilization was born 8,000 years ago, between the floodplains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, when migrants from the surrounding mountains and deserts began to create increasingly sophisticated urban societies. In the cities that they built, half of human history took place. In Babylon, Paul Kriwaczek tells the story of Mesopotamia from the earliest settlements seven thousand years ago to the eclipse of Babylon in the sixth century BCE. Bringing the people of this land to life in vibrant detail, the author chronicles the rise and fall of power during this period.

For more than a century, archaeologists have been unearthing the tombs, temples, texts, and artifacts of the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean world. Using new approaches, contemporary scholars have begun to synthesize this material with the biblical traditions. The Oxford History of the Biblical World incorporates the best of this scholarship, and in chronologically ordered chapters presents the listener with an integrated study of the history, art, architecture, languages, literatures, and religion of biblical Israel and early Judaism and Christianity in their larger cultural contexts.

Is it possible that a place called Lemuria existed? What about the missing continent of MU? What does being a Lemurian actually mean for you today? The answer to these questions and more is revealed in this book.

The Ancient Religions of Europe provides a comprehensive study of the diverse spiritual traditions across ancient Europe, covering religions that spanned thousands of years, from the Minoans to the Slavic, Tengri, and Celtic beliefs. Each chapter explores the central myths, gods, rituals, and philosophical underpinnings of each tradition, revealing the cultural importance of religion in shaping early societies and the impact on the evolution of Christianity and other new religions. Using ancient texts and comparative studies, this book highlights both the shared and unique aspects of each ...

Religion in Human Evolution is a work of extraordinary ambition—a wide-ranging, nuanced probing of our biological past to discover the kinds of lives that human beings have most often imagined were worth living. It offers what is frequently seen as a forbidden theory of the origin of religion that goes deep into evolution, especially but not exclusively cultural evolution.

Spirituality Before Religions, delves deeply into many ideas researched by many brilliant writers and scholars. My ultimate purpose is to synthesize these writings into a comprehensive study of ancient African Deep Thought with Tep Heseb, the Kemetic (Egyptian) process of accurately reckoning by using the correct method of analysis. This clear and concise philosophy guided early humanity into the heavens on earth, while creating a heaven on earth. African educator, Dr. John Henrik Clarke teaches us that to be self-sufficient, people have to see the Creator when they look in the mirror. If ...

Three of the world’s great religions originated in the Middle East: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Before that, religion in ancient Babylonia and Egypt had a history of thousands of years. In Egypt, religious practice centered on the pharaohs who acted as intermediaries between their people and the gods. They were obligated to sustain the deities through rituals and offerings so that they could maintain Ma'at, the order of the cosmos. The state dedicated enormous resources to maintaining religious rituals and to the construction of temples.

Paganism in Depth is a next level book for Pagans interested in taking their practice deeper. Author John Beckett helps you develop a detailed understanding of practical knowledge as well as ideas for working through new challenges you'll encounter as you advance in your practice, such as what happens when a deity makes demands of you, how to form and sustain community, and how to lead a community as a medium for the divine.

This comprehensive history sets yoga in its global cultural context for the first time. It leads us on a fascinating journey across the world, from arcane religious rituals and medieval body-magic, through muscular Christianity and the British Raj, to the Indian nationalist movement and the arrival of yoga in the 20th-century West. We discover how the practice reached its present-day ubiquity and how it became embedded in powerful social currents shaping the world's future.

One of the most influential Roman perspectives on religion came from a nonreligious belief system that is finding new adherents even today: Stoicism. How did the Stoics think about religion? In How to Think About God, Philip Freeman presents vivid new translations of Cicero's On the Nature of the Gods and The Dream of Scipio. In these brief works, Cicero offers a Stoic view of belief, divinity, and human immortality, giving eloquent expression to the religious ideas of one of the most popular schools of Roman and Greek philosophy.

Step into the captivating realms of antiquity with "Enki and the World Order: A Beginner's Guide," and embark on an enlightening journey to the dawn of civilization. This meticulously researched book unravels the enigmatic world of ancient Mesopotamia, where Enki, the deity of wisdom, water, and creation, reigns supreme. As a pivotal figure in the pantheon of gods, Enki's influence extends far beyond the fertile banks of the Euphrates and Tigris, reaching into the very fabric of society and the natural order. Through engaging narratives and insightful analysis, this guide peels back the ...

Was religion created in the minds of men or was it given to us by the ancient gods, who demanded our worship? Who were the ancient gods and why did they come here? Historical evidence shows that we worked for them and tried to appease them at every turn. Then, at some point, they left. Cultures from the around the world tell their stories through mythology and they are still worshipped in our religions. Their power over us was so strong that it is still with us today. We have been conditioned in a religious way and Barranger shows how this conditioning is, in certain ways, stunting our ...

The War of the Three Gods is a military history of the Near and Middle East in the seventh century - with its chief focus on the reign of the Eastern Roman Emperor Heraclius (AD 610-641) - a pivotal and dramatic time in world history. The Eastern Roman Empire was brought to the very brink of extinction by the Sassanid Persians before Heraclius managed to inflict a crushing defeat on the Sassanids with a desperate, final gambit.

"The North" is simultaneously a location, a direction, and a mystical concept. Although this concept has ancient roots in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales, it continues to resonate today within modern culture. McIntosh leads listeners through the magical and spiritual history of the North, as well as its modern manifestations, as documented through physical records, such as runestones and megaliths, but also through mythology and lore. This mythic conception of a powerful, mysterious Northern civilization was known to the Greeks as "Hyberborea" - the "Land Beyond the North Wind".

Waiting to be rediscovered in the British Library is an ancient manuscript of the early Church, copied by an anonymous monk. The manuscript is at least 1,450 years old, possibly dating to the first century, Jesus' lifetime. And now, The Lost Gospel provides the first-ever translation from Syriac into English of this unique document that tells the inside story of Jesus' social, family, and political life. The Lost Gospel takes listeners on an unparalleled historical adventure through a paradigm-shifting manuscript.

Ryokan (1758–1831) is, along with Dogen and Hakuin, one of the three giants of Zen in Japan. But unlike his two renowned colleagues, Ryokan was a societal dropout, living mostly as a hermit and a beggar. He was never head of a monastery or temple. He liked playing with children. He had no dharma heir. Even so, people recognized the depth of his realization, and he was sought out by people of all walks of life for the teaching to be experienced in just being around him.

In Enki & Enlil, My Brother My Enemy, we will take you on an unimaginable and profound journey into the heart of ancient settings, musings, ancient mind-set, ancient histories, and ancient practices to reveal a breathtaking, hidden reality that will transform your understanding and life forever and in many ways. The suggestions in this work will show that we are debating present and ancient matters that will help uplift you spiritually. Spirituality, in this sense, is enlightenment—nothing else. Enlightenment is perhaps one of the reasons even the Gods are at each other’s throats up to ...

Unlock the secrets of ancient wisdom with "The Pistis Sophia: A Beginner's Guide: Unveiling the Mysteries of Gnostic Wisdom." This book is your gateway to understanding the profound and esoteric teachings of one of the most revered texts in Gnosticism. Whether you're a novice seeking spiritual enlightenment or a seasoned explorer of mystical traditions, this guide will captivate your mind and spirit. Dive into the rich tapestry of Gnostic thought as you: Discover the hidden teachings that have been preserved for centuries. The Pistis Sophia offers a cosmology filled with divine beings, ...

This anonymous fourteenth-century text is the glory of English mysticism, and one of the most practical and useful guides to finding union with God ever written. Carmen Acevedo Butcher’s new translation is the first to bring the text into a modern English idiom - while remaining strictly faithful to the meaning of the original Middle English. The Cloud of Unknowingconsists of a series of letters written by a monk to his student or disciple, instructing him (or her) in the way of Divine union.