A Field Guide to the Soul: A Down-To-Earth Handbook of Spiritual Practice

In a fast-paced world, the body often outruns the soul, leaving the latter panting for nourishment. Drawing on Jungian psychology and Buddhist and Christian spiritual practices, former environmental lawyer Thornton offers a guide to bringing the soul sustenance. He contends that there are three ways of awakening the soul. The ""way of the mind,"" says Thornton, instructs us in using our inner silence to rid ourselves of stress and to focus on our creativity. The ""way of the heart"" leads us into the ""forests of our hearts to meet the beasts that dwell in them."" According to the author, following the way of the heart taps into our deepest emotions and enables us to experience the heights of mystical rapture. The ""way of action"" emphasizes the ways we relate to the world around us. Following the ""way of action"" places us at the center of the natural world and fosters ecological awareness and sensitivity, making us ""homogaians."" Although Thornton strives for new insights in these brief meditations and exercises, this volume of quasi-spiritual pop psychology joins already overburdened shelves. (Feb.)