Assembled by Idries Shah, The World of the Sufi is a comprehensive collection of learned essays and papers on the subject of Sufi thought. One of the book’s attractions is the way that it considers central questions and areas of study from different angles. Sufi literature, the use of humour, and Sufi communities in various cultural settings are some of the many subjects discussed. In addition, experts in their fields comment on areas such as Sufism and psychiatry, Indian thought and the Sufis, and therapy and the Sufi.

Buddhist teacher and writer Jinananda considers the history, the tradition and the more contemporary view on Karma and Rebirth in this controversial and largely misunderstood topic.

The "perfuming of a scorpion", referred to by the great Sufi teacher Bahaudin, symbolizes hypocrisy and self-deception: both in the individual and in institutions. In A Perfumed Scorpion, Idries Shah directs attention to both the perfume and the scorpion - the overlay and the reality - in psychology, human behavior and the learning process. Crammed with illustrative anecdotes from contemporary life, the book is nevertheless rooted in the teaching patterns of Rumi, Hafiz, Jami, and many other great Oriental sages. It deals with the need for and the path to knowledge and information.

Previously published only as separate essays, Sufi Thought and Action - assembled and introduced by Idries Shah - covers an extraordinary diversity of Sufi ideas and activities in many countries and cultures. Included in the volume are papers on Sufi principles and learning methods; ritual, initiation, and secrets in Sufi circles; and key concepts in Sufi understanding.

Condensed from more than three million words, these conversations involve housewives and cabinet ministers, professors and assembly-line workers, on the subject of how traditional psychology can illuminate current human, social, and spiritual problems. More than 100 tales and extracts from Sufi lore, ranging from the eighth century (Hasan of Basra) to the modern Afghan poet Khalilullah Khalili, are woven into Shah’s narratives of how and why the Sufis learn what they learn and how spiritual understanding develops and deteriorates in all societies.

In 1976 John White, an American author and researcher, traveled to Zurich, Switzerland, to interview Pandit Gopi Krishna on the subjects of Kundalini and consciousness research. In these five interviews, Gopi Krishna gives insightful answers to many basic questions about the nature of Kundalini, the evolutionary, transformative, spiritual power in the human body.

In this inspiring and incisive offering, Barry Magid uses the language of modern psychology and psychotherapy to illuminate one of Buddhism's most powerful and often mysterious technologies: the Zen koan. What's more, Magid also uses the koans to expand upon the insights of psychology (especially self-psychology and relational psychotherapy) and open for the listener new perspectives on the functioning of the human mind and heart.

Approximately four million Americans claim to be Buddhist. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of Americans of various faiths read about Buddhism, are interested in its philosophical tenets, or fashionably view themselves as Buddhists. They’re part of what’s been described as the fastest growing religious movement in America: a large group of people dissatisfied with traditional religious offerings and thirsty for an approach to spirituality grounded in logic and consistent with scientific knowledge.

When it first appeared in 1964, The Sufis was welcomed as the decisive work on the subject of Sufi thought. Rich in scope, author Idries Shah explained clearly the traditions and philosophy of the Sufis to a Western audience for the first time. In the five decades since its release, the book has been translated into more than two dozen languages, and has found a wide readership in both East and West. Containing detailed information on the major Sufi thinkers, and literary characters, such as Nasrudin, it is regarded as a key work on both Sufism and Eastern Philosophy.

Although its origins are rooted from the time of ancient Babylon, the wisdom of Kabbalah has remained shrouded in mystery since it appeared more than 4,000 years ago. Warren Kenton explores Kabbalah from its roots in Judaism to its wider adaptation of theory and practice for today. In this program he explains the seven stages one must go through to reach final union with the Ultimate One. 

In the West, theology has almost always meant Christian theology - a hodgepodge of beliefs that are hard to make sense of. Why, for example, should an all-loving, merciful God have gotten mad at the human race because someone ate a piece of fruit 6,000 years ago? And why would he send part of himself down to earth to be tortured to death? These beliefs, stated baldly, are nonsensical. Millions of people are realizing this and losing their faith. The time has come to reenvision Christian theology without contradictory teachings laced with fear.

In August 1977, Gopi Krishna gave a series of eight discourses to a group of spiritual seekers from Canada at his Central Institute for Kundalini Research near Srinagar, Kashmir, India. In this transcript of these talks, he discusses in detail the characteristics of an enlightened person and various methods to achieve the state of "Cosmic Consciousness". He also spoke on other related topics, such as karma, reincarnation, and meditation. Much of this invaluable material is being presented for the first time and does not appear in any of his other books. 

If you want to focus on personal spiritual development and strive for a deep insight into the true nature of life, then continue reading.... "We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." -Buddha If our present suffering is the result of bad karma from a prior life, what is the real present remedy for suffering in this life? Who is the karma judge? And why mindfulness and meditation? If you don't understand the immediate answers to the above, you're not alone.

At the beginning of his career, Joseph Campbell developed a lasting fascination with the cultures of the Far East, and explorations of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy later became recurring motifs in his vast body of work. However, Campbell had to wait until middle age to visit the lands that inspired him so deeply. In 1954, he took a sabbatical from his teaching position and embarked on a year-long voyage through India, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and finally Japan. 

This is not an ordinary biography of the Buddha. In his characteristically individual manner, Urgyen Sangharakshita - the leading English-born Buddhist teacher and founder of the Triratana Buddhist Community - recounts the known details of the Buddha's life but enriches the story with contemporary relevance. Unpicking the threads of historical and mythical information, he considers the underlying meaning in terms of 21st-century life - and its effect on personal practice today.