Encyclopedia of Spirituality: Essential Teachings to Transform Your Life

This dazzling coffee-table volume offers one-stop shopping for nearly all the world's major spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Christianity, Shamanism, the New Age movement, paganism and ""natural spirituality."" One chapter explores the role of psychedelic drugs in cultivating spirituality, while another narrows in on ""The Way of the Artist"" (this one is heavy on William Blake). Freke, a self-described mystic and philosopher, focuses far more on practice than belief, emphasizing the ways individuals can develop their spirituality through yoga, meditation, dance, Tai Chi, prayer, koans, pilgrimage and retreat, music, dreams and ""sacred sensuality,"" among other paths. The book's breadth is indeed encyclopedic; Freke sometimes only skims the surface of complex ideas in order to achieve greater inclusivity. World religions, he says, are ""different rivers running to one sea of Truth."" The book's strength lies in its remarkable visuals; every page features full-color art, and the well-designed layout is simply a treat. Many photographs feature individual spiritual practitioners demonstrating the techniques discussed, such as keeping a dream diary, infusing everyday chores with spiritual meaning and kneeling down to pray. Readers seeking informative depth will not glean much from this guide's breathless aromatherapy-to-Zen approach, but it's certainly an attractive introduction, easy on the eyes. (June)