Unfolding The Lotus

An Unfolding of the South Asian gay and lesbian experience Gay men and lesbians from India, Pakistan and other South Asian countries tell their stories.

Unfolding the Lotus offers those who are on the recovery path a new and comprehensive tool on the path. This book takes the reader deep into themselves. It was written for those who have done conventional fourth steps in the past and are looking for something different and a way to uncover issues that are not covered in other fourth steps. However, anyone can read this book and get a lot out of it, even if they are not in recovery. “This insightful book shows us how our own lotus can grow out of the mud of addictions and attachments and how to help it unfold into a life of joyful freedom. Thank you, Jeff, for sharing your story and exploring what it means for our stories.” — David Loy, author of Money, Sex, War, Karma; The World Is Made of Stories; and The Great Awakening “This book is a gem. The foundation of Opening the Lotus is Jeff Emerson’s own direct experience, and without a direct experience we cannot guide others on the path. He guides us in an open-hearted and honest way, interlinking the teachings with his own life story; this gives us hope—hope of recovery from any addiction.” — Frans Stiene, co-founder of the International House of Reiki and author of The Inner Heart of Reiki: Rediscovering Your True Self

At the height of its glory, Men-nefer (Memphis) was one of the largest cities of the ancient world. Its splendors included massive temples, palaces, and houses, all enclosed by the citys legendary White Walls. But in Egypt during the reign of Qakare Ibi, in the years ?21692167 BC, the country had been divided into at least three parts. The Old Kingdom had finally come to an end, and a new era of uncertainty had been born. A series of low floods by the great river causes a near famine, leaving the general population to fend for themselves, especially against the greedy nomarchs and their brutal taxation policy. Corruption is rife, and its negative impact is felt throughout all walks of life. This is the story of a young scribe in his search for his Maat. With the spiritual help of the blue lotus, he learns how to deal with the events unfolding all around him.

Profiles of the media, especially print and broadcasting, and the environment in which they operate today in 10 countries.

Kinslayer is Book Two in Jay Kristoff's critically acclaimed Lotus War series that began with Stormdancer, featuring an unforgettable heroine and a stunningly original Japanese dystopian steampunk world A SHATTERED EMPIRE The mad Shogun Yoritomo has been assassinated by the Stormdancer Yukiko, and the threat of civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The toxic blood lotus flower continues to ravage the land, the deadlands splitting wider by the day. The machine-worshippers of the Lotus Guild conspire to renew the nation's broken dynasty and crush the growing rebellion simultaneously - by endorsing a new Shogun who desires nothing more than to see Yukiko dead. A DARK LEGACY Yukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes by the Kagé rebellion. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father's death, and her ability to hear the thoughts of beasts is swelling beyond her power to control. Along with Buruu, Yukiko's anchor is Kin, the rebel Guildsman who helped her escape from Yoritomo's clutches. But Kin has his own secrets, and is haunted by visions of a future he'd rather die than see realized. A GATHERING STORM Kagé assassins lurk within the Shogun's palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. A waif from Kigen's gutters begins a friendship that could undo the entire empire. A new enemy gathers its strength, readying to push the fracturing Shima imperium into a war it cannot hope to survive. And across raging oceans, amongst islands of black glass, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no katana or talon can defeat. The ghosts of a blood-stained past.

“Forget the Mad Max comparisons: Sparks is far more ambitious than that. Lotus Blue is A Canticle for Leibowitz by way of Neuromancer.” —Peter Watts, Hugo and Shirley Jackson Award-winning author of Blindsight Seventeen-year-old Star and her sister Nene are orphans, part of a thirteen-wagon caravan of nomadic traders living hard lives travelling the Sand Road. Their route cuts through a particularly dangerous and unforgiving section of the Dead Red Heart, a war-ravaged desert landscape plagued by rogue semi-sentient machinery and other monsters from a bygone age. But when the caravan witnesses a relic-Angel satellite unexpectedly crash to Earth, a chain of events begins that sends Star on a journey far away from the life she once knew. Shanghaied upon the sandship Dogwatch, she is forced to cross the Obsidian Sea by Quarrel, an ancient Templar supersoldier. Eventually shipwrecked, Star will have no choice but to place her trust in both thieves and priestesses while coming to terms with the grim reality of her past—and the horror of her unfolding destiny—as the terrible secret her sister had been desperate to protect her from begins to unravel. Meanwhile, something old and powerful has woken in the desert. A Lotus Blue, deadliest of all the ancient war machines. A warrior with plans of its own, far more significant than a fallen Angel. Plans that do not include the survival of humanity. “Imaginative and richly rendered . . . Recommended for people who crave fresh post-apocalypse chaos—because Sparks’s post-apocalyptic chaos is pretty fresh, at that.” —N. K. Jemisin, The New York Times

A unique and exquisitely wrought story of one multiracial woman’s journey to discover and embrace herself in a family that sought to deny her black heritage, Sil Lai Abrams shares her story in Black Lotus: A Woman’s Search for Racial Identity—an account that will undoubtedly ignite conversation on race, racial identity, and the human experience. Author and activist Sil Lai Abrams was born to a Chinese immigrant mother and a white American father. Out of her family, Sil Lai was the only one with a tousle of wild curls and brown skin. When she asked about her darker complexion, she was given vague answers. At fourteen, the man she knew her entire life as her birth-father divulged that Abrams was not his biological child, but instead the daughter of a man of African descent who didn’t know she existed. This shocking news sparked a quest for healing that would take her down the painful road to reclaim her identity despite the overt racism in her community and her own internalized racism and self-hatred. Abrams struggled with depression, abuse, and an addiction that nearly destroyed her. But eventually she would leave behind the shame over her birthright and move toward a celebration of her blackness. In Black Lotus, Abrams takes you on her odyssey filled with extreme highs and lows and the complexities of not only the black experience, but also the human one. This vivid story reexamines everything you think you know about racial identity while affirming the ability of the human spirit to triumph over tragedy. Ultimately, Black Lotus shines a light on the transformative power of truth and self-acceptance, and the importance of defining your personal identity on your own terms.

A lyrical novel of love and betrayal in the aftermath of the fall of Saigon—from the author of Monkey Bridge A singular work of witness, inspiration, and courage, The Lotus and the Storm marks the welcome return of Lan Cao’s pitch-perfect voice, telling the story only she can tell. Four decades after the war, Vietnam’s flavors of clove and cinnamon have been re-created by a close-knit refugee community in a Virginia suburb. But the lives of Minh and Mai, father and daughter, are haunted by ghosts, secrets, and the loss of their country. During the disastrous last days in Saigon, in a whirl of military signals and helicopter evacuations, Mai never had a chance to say goodbye to so many people who meant so much to her. What happened to them? How will Mai cope with the trauma of war—and will the thay phap, a Vietnamese spirit exorcist, be able to heal her?

"A twisting story of love and deceit: an American man vanishes from a rural road in Vietnam and his girlfriend, an ER doctor trained in deductive reasoning, follows a path that leads her home to the very hospital where they first met. Alexis and Austen met on a Saturday night. Not in a bar, but instead in the emergency room where Alexis sutured a bullet wound in Austen's arm. Six months later, on the brink of falling in love, they travel to Vietnam on a bicycling tour so that Austen can show her his passion for cycling and so that he can pay his respects to the place where his father and uncle fought in the war. But as Alexis sips white wine and waits at the hotel for Austen to return from his solo ride, two men emerge from the tall grass and Austen vanishes into thin air. The only clues he leaves behind are two bright yellow energy gels dropped in the dirt road. As Alexis grapples with this bewildering loss, navigating the FBI, Austen's prickly family, and her colleagues at the hospital, Alexis uncovers a series of strange lies that force her to wonder: Where did Austen go? Why did he really bring her to Vietnam? And how much danger has he left her in? Set amid the adrenaline-fueled world of the emergency room, The Red Lotus is a fascinating story of those who dedicate their lives to saving people, and those who instead peddle death to the highest bidder."--

The era is 1200 CE, when the intruders from the west ravaged Bharat; a small kingdom in its eastern part was entering its golden period. The kingdom of Kalinga though a maritime superpower remained secluded and reclusive to the other nations of Bharat. This was not by chance, but by choice, as this holy land was fulfilling a prophecy that could become the basis of existence for the entire humankind after the Kali Yuga ends. The first book of the Konark Secret Duology is the tale of Bishnu Maharana, the chief architect of the Konark Temple. This is his journey about how he became a master architect and the secrets he unravels while constructing this shrine. Was this temple just a grand monument or were there secrets behind its construction? Why was an unusual technique being used for its creation, when there were tried and tested methods? Did this monument hold some secret within itself? Was Bishnu Maharana an architect or a man of secrets?

After the loss of her husband, Michelle Mann went searching for meaning and found the tarot. In London specifically, she began discovering the answers she so soundly sought and eventually created Gold Lotus. The Gold Lotus Oracle Deck is multifaceted in that the deck can be used alone for guidance, in readings for others, or included in healing practices. Gold Lotus Oracle Book is a guidebook that accompanies the oracle deck. This guide contains crystal vibrations, numerology, yoga poses, meditations, and affirmations that vibrate with each card, making this deck and book an invaluable healing tool for yourself or others. Used together, the book and deck are powerful instruments for healing and enlightenment. The process of using these cards is a comforting ritual. The cards are an instant focus to inspire you for the day or to ask questions about events that you are experiencing. Sit in a relaxing spot to find clarity. Take a few deep breaths, and ask in that moment, What do I need right now? We all have the gift of intuition; the key is quieting the mind and listening to your heart and soul.

A clear and comprehensive guide to the psychology of the chakras that is filled with practical techniques that anyone can apply in daily life.

Contents: Acknowledgements, Note from the author, list of illustrations, introduction, Definition of the Chakras, Your Chakric Relationships, Your Dominant Chakra, Five Dominant Chakras, Not Seven, Subcategories of Dominant Chakras, Higher and Lower Aspects of Each Chakra, First Chakra: Survivability, Second Chakra: The Creationist, Third Chakra: The Charismatic Leader, Fourth Chakra: The Empath, Fifth Chakra: The Communicator, Sixth Chakra: The Prophet, Seventh Chakra: Zero Point, Chakras 8, 13, 20, and 64, Reference Chakras, Stepping Through the Chakras; the Evolutionary Path, Are we in just one dominant chakra our whole Lives? Inverse Relationships, The Law of Reciprocity, Representation through relationship, and the evolution of the soul-group consciousness, Masking, That's Just What a Chakra Would say, Dominant Chakra Dispositions of Famous People, Hand Positions and the Chakras, Psychic Manipulation Prevention, The Evolutionary Aspect of Truth, Quantitative vs. Qualitative Reality, Three Reasons Why People Do Not Heal, Appendix A, Recommended Reading for Each Chakra, Exercises and Meditations to Build Strength in Each Chakra, Section one: Exercise to Increase Intuitive Abilities, Section two: General Energy-Balancing Exercises, Section Three: Specific Exercises for Each Chakra, Essential oils that help heal each chakra, Sounds that help heal each chakra, light and color that help heal each chakra, yoga exercises for each chakra, Appendix B, Bibliography and References.

A deeply emotional standalone romance set in the worlds of professional basketball and high fashion. Divorced. Single dad. Traded to a losing squad. Cheated on, betrayed, exposed. My perfect life blew up in my face and I'm still picking up the pieces. The last thing I need is her. A wildflower. A storm. A woman I can't resist. Lotus DuPree is a kick to my gut and a wrench in my plans from the moment our eyes meet. I promised myself I wouldn't trust a woman again, but I've never wanted anyone the way I want Lo. She's not the plan I made, but she's the risk I have to take. A warrior. A baller. The one they call Gladiator. Kenan Ross charged into my life smelling all good, looking even better and snatching my breath from the moment we met. The last thing I need is him. I'm working on me. Facing my pain and conquering my demons. I've seen what trusting a man gets you. I. Don't. Have. Time. For. This. But he just keeps coming for me. Keeps knocking down my defenses and stealing my excuses one by one. He never gives up, and now...I'm not sure I want him to.

Have you ever wondered what a spiritual awakening or a Kundalini awakening might look like? The thought had never crossed Lotus Lindley's mind, when she was initiated into a roller-coaster reality of her own mystical, inner journey of spiritual transformation. Entering into an unknown world of the divine feminine, Shakti Kundalini, her process is intimate, emotional, and profound. Awakening from the Dream ~ a Kundalini Memoir, is a descriptive, riveting account of what many refer to as a Kundalini Awakening. Lotus' story is infused with revealed spiritual teachings, higher realm guides, and inner depths of the subconscious. Readers are taken on a spiritual adventure that is both wondrous and frightening. The experiences display courage and vulnerability, when all of reality is turned upside down, and inside out; where transformation disheveled the identity of who Lotus had been, in order to rebirth her into who she truly is. These pages hold rarely glimpsed, viscerally charged details of the effects spiritual purification has on one's mental, emotional and physical being, illustrated beautifully by blissful highs of expanding conscious awareness, as well as intense baptisms of fire. Through her direct experience with the innate spiritual force of Shakti Kundalini, Lotus shares in rich narration how she embodied soul's guidance, connected deeply with God/Source/Divine Presence, and found in her heart the devotion to continuously surrender to the Divine.

Have you ever wanted to develop your awareness of the reality beyond the physical world? If so, this book can help you fulfill your wish. Communicating through trance mediumship, an evolved spirit guide, Hai, and other spirits, offer guidance on how we can all develop mediumship. A wide range of topics is discussed; guides, mechanisms of communication, dangers of prediction, difficulties of communication and the problem of 'contamination' by the medium's mind. Guidance is given on how to approach the interpretation of spirit messages and, to enable the reader to facilitate development, a sample of meditations and a range of exercises are also provided. For those who are interested in Physical Mediumship, the experience of the medium's group in sitting for Physical Phenomena is another feature of this book. Those who've read the authors' first book, "Spirits Speaking from the Heart," will be familiar with the humour of the spirit communicators. Here again, that sense of fun is never far away, as they impart their insights and guidance. While not everyone can develop mediumship to an advanced level, the spirit communicators indicate, that most of us can develop a degree of awareness, of the loving energies that surround us.

The first in an epic new fantasy series, introducing an unforgettable new heroine and a stunningly original dystopian steampunk world with a flavor of feudal Japan. A DYING LAND The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever. AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shogun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shogun is death. A HIDDEN GIFT Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shogun's hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he'd rather see her dead than help her. But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

Matthieu Ricard trained as a molecular biologist, working in the lab of a Nobel prize—winning scientist, but when he read some Buddhist philosophy, he became drawn to Buddhism. Eventually he left his life in science to study with Tibetan teachers, and he is now a Buddhist monk and translator for the Dalai Lama, living in the Shechen monastery near Kathmandu in Nepal. Trinh Thuan was born into a Buddhist family in Vietnam but became intrigued by the explosion of discoveries in astronomy during the 1960s. He made his way to the prestigious California Institute of Technology to study with some of the biggest names in the field and is now an acclaimed astrophysicist and specialist on how the galaxies formed. When Matthieu Ricard and Trinh Thuan met at an academic conference in the summer of 1997, they began discussing the many remarkable connections between the teachings of Buddhism and the findings of recent science. That conversation grew into an astonishing correspondence exploring a series of fascinating questions. Did the universe have a beginning? Or is our universe one in a series of infinite universes with no end and no beginning? Is the concept of a beginning of time fundamentally flawed? Might our perception of time in fact be an illusion, a phenomenon created in our brains that has no ultimate reality? Is the stunning fine-tuning of the universe, which has produced just the right conditions for life to evolve, a sign that a “principle of creation” is at work in our world? If such a principle of creation undergirds the workings of the universe, what does that tell us about whether or not there is a divine Creator? How does the radical interpretation of reality offered by quantum physics conform to and yet differ from the Buddhist conception of reality? What is consciousness and how did it evolve? Can consciousness exist apart from a brain generating it? The stimulating journey of discovery the authors traveled in their discussions is re-created beautifully in The Quantum and the Lotus, written in the style of a lively dialogue between friends. Both the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and the discoveries of contemporary science are introduced with great clarity, and the reader will be profoundly impressed by the many correspondences between the two streams of thought and revelation. Through the course of their dialogue, the authors reach a remarkable meeting of minds, ultimately offering a vital new understanding of the many ways in which science and Buddhism confirm and complement each other and of the ways in which, as Matthieu Ricard writes, “knowledge of our spirits and knowledge of the world are mutually enlightening and empowering.”