Wisdom Walk: Nine Practices for Creating Peace and Balance from the World's Spiritual Traditions [Paperback]

Sage Bennet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 8, 2007

After experiencing her own crisis of faith, Sage Bennet developed an eclectic spiritual life, borrowing rituals from many religions and traditions. In Wisdom Walk she outlines some of the most powerful of those practices, making them accessible to contemporary readers without diminishing or disrespecting their subtle nuances. Drawing from Hinduism, she explains how to create a home altar as a reminder of a larger spiritual presence. She explores how Buddhist meditation helps one find peace. From Islam comes surrendering to prayer, and from Christianity the practice of forgiveness. There's even Native American spirituality in the form of a chapter on letting nature be one’s teacher. A final, summarizing chapter, brings together all the traditions, demonstrates their fundamental unity, and discusses the importance of offering oneself in service to others. Wisdom Walk provides a simple, easy-to-follow guide for bringing the world’s spiritual traditions into one’s life through practical, powerful rituals.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. For ordained minister Bennett, familiarity breeds wisdom. She examines eight of the world's great faith traditions, mining them for transcendent practices and forms applicable to any spiritual discipline. Prior to a culminating multifaith chapter on service, Bennett explores Hinduism's home altars; Buddhism's meditation practices; Islam's rewards of surrendering in a daily cascade of prayers; Judaism's observance of the Sabbath to keep relationships with friends and family intact; Christianity's rich legacy of forgiveness; Native American spirituality's nature insights; Taoism's trust in the processes of life; and New Thought's application of "visioning" to discern calling and course. Each chapter uses broad brush strokes to cover the elements of each tradition, as well as the author's running personal narrative to reveal how this approach has unfolded in her own life and teaching. Bennett's thrust is always on seeing how other traditions can support, not erode or supplant, an existing faith. Practical application steps and stories of how her students reacted to and integrated these gifts further serve to make this a lively, honest and substantive conduit toward meaningful conversation in the explosive arena of religion. (Apr.)
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Review

“What a brilliant idea Sage Bennet has in this book — to give us insight into the world’s religions while using them to illuminate the components of our own spiritual journeys.” — Christina Baldwin, author of Storycatcher “A beautifully simple and clear description of the wisdom teachings of the great religions of the world, enhanced with stories showing their practical benefits. A great read that can lead to inspiring results.” — Catherine Ponder, author of The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity “Wisdom is the religion of the heart, and Sage Bennet has given multifaceted insight into the world’s timeless wisdom traditions and practices, which is perhaps more timely and needed today than ever before.” — Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder and spiritual director of the Agape International Spiritual Center --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 279 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (March 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577315820
• ISBN-13: 978-1577315827
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #429,058 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't stop reading it!, April 20, 2007

By 

Donald (Van Nuys, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wisdom Walk: Nine Practices for Creating Peace and Balance from the World's Spiritual Traditions (Paperback)

Dr. Sage Bennet's book has caught my heart and mind. She focuses on what is essential in each major religious tradition: in Christianity it's 'Forgive yourself and others', in Judaism it's 'Make time for the Sabbath', in Native American Spirituality it's, 'Let nature be your teacher', etc. The last chapter talks about what is common to all spiritual traditions, which is, 'Offer yourself in service to others'. HOW BEAUTIFUL!

I find this book so inspiring and uplifting and also very practical. The author talks about her own struggles with relationships and addiction and religion and how these practices helped her personally. It's all very real and down to earth.

This book is for anyone on the path who wants to get to know more about any of the major wisdom traditions or more about applying practical spirituality in his or her daily life.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing clarity!, May 24, 2007

By 

J. Mitchell (Gurnee, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wisdom Walk: Nine Practices for Creating Peace and Balance from the World's Spiritual Traditions (Paperback)

I opened the book in the middle and was instantly immersed in one of the stories exemplifying Taoism's "go with the flow" of the river of life philosophy. I instantly recognized some of my own struggles as I've tried to control and even to force matters in my life only to later realize that things would have been much better if I'd let events take their own course. The story cited in the book opened a new part of my understanding and communicated very simply with my heart so I could see this lesson in a different way and learn it from a new perspective. Sage Bennet's storytelling narrative is perfectly tuned for this type of learning and I have been similarly engaged and drawn in by the other lessons and examples in the book. As a person with a strong religious life, I was very very comfortable with the ways that Ms. Bennet uses the religions of the world to teach the nine truths she defines in the book as supports and not divisors of other faiths or beliefs. I found the traditions and philosophies she describes to edify my personal beliefs rather than splintering from them and could benefit from the harmony of that experience. Reading the book made me feel more a part of the human family and strengthened and uplifted me in my own wisdom walk.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear Information - Supportive of all Beliefs, March 13, 2008

By 

Scott H. Strickland (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wisdom Walk: Nine Practices for Creating Peace and Balance from the World's Spiritual Traditions (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book providing clear information on a major positive attribute of 8 of the world's major religions, from Hinduism and Buddhism through Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, to Taoism, Native American Spirituality, and New Thought. With many Americans moving from religiousity to spirituality, this book is an excellent resource that would allow people to blend the positve beliefs of several religious traditions into their own belief system in a positive way. And the writing style of the book reflects its content - warm, respectful, useful and uplifting.