Welcome to the Wisdom of the World and Its Meaning for You: Universal Spiritual Insights Distilled from Five Religious Traditions

Joan Chittister

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Jul 24, 2007 - Religion - 186 pages

Certain questions are common to all of us as human beings. Why was I born? What??'s important in life? How do I know the right thing to do? What does it mean to "make a difference"? What??'s wrong with me ? why can???t I change? Such questions are so deeply human that they transcend time and place, religions and cultures.

In this inviting book Joan Chittister presents the insights of others from different cultures throughout history who have grappled with the same kinds of life questions that plague us here and now. Through stories and wisdom literature from major religious traditions ? Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam ? Chittister highlights practical, universal truths and deftly shows how each spiritual tradition brings a special gift to the art of living a meaningful, spiritually aware life.

A rich exploration of spirituality, Welcome to the Wisdom of the World addresses some of our most challenging issues ? ambition, security, romance, abandonment, failure, and more ? acknowledging the truth we can find in the wisdom of our human past and the connections we can make through our differences. This is a book for anyone who wants to grow spiritually and to become more fully human.

Contents

• Why Does My Life Feel So Hectic?: 3
• Why Does the Thought of Getting Older Bother Me?: 11
• What Does It Mean to Make a Difference?: 20
• What Does It Mean to Be a Spiritual Person? 5 How Can I Learn to Let Go of the Past? 26: 26
• Buddhist Enlightenment: 39
• Would I Do It All Again? 7 How Do I Know the Right Thing to Do? 41 47 60 65: 41
• How Do I Know Who to Follow?: 53
• What Does It Take to Succeed?: 60
• Is It Possible to Make Up for Past Mistakes?: 65
• JEWISH COMMUNITY: 71
• Where Did I Lose My Idealism?: 73
• Why Do I Feel Stuck?: 79
• What Can I Do When Enough Is Enough?: 85
• Does Anything Really Matter?: 91
• Why Was I Born?: 97
• CHRISTIAN LOVE: 103
• Why Cant I Just Get Away from It All?: 105
• What Does It Take to Put Excitement Back into Life?: 111
• How Will I Know Truth When I See It?: 117
• Why Cant I Change?: 123
• What Is the Purpose of Life?: 128
• ISLAMIC SUBMISSION: 133
• What Is There to Get Up for in the Morning?: 135
• Where Is God?: 141
• What Is Happiness?: 148
• Whats Important in Life?: 154
• Why Do I Feel That Something Is Missing in My Life?: 161
• THE ROOTS OF TRADITION: 167
• Hindu Wisdom and Eternal Meaning: 169
• Buddhist Enlightenment and Desirelessness: 173
• Community of Justice and Joy: 177
• The Call to the Beatitudes: 180
• Community of Witness and Submission: 183

Bibliographic information

• Title: Welcome to the Wisdom of the World and Its Meaning for You: Universal Spiritual Insights Distilled from Five Religious Traditions
• Author: Joan Chittister
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2007
• ISBN: 0802828949, 9780802828941
• Length: 186 pages
• Subjects: Religion / Christian Living / Personal Growth; Religion / Christian Living / Spiritual Growth; Religion / Comparative Religion; Religion / Spirituality