Nature

Explore the gentle unfurling of spring and reflect on how nature celebrates birth and renewal—in this collection of reflections by our greatest writers.

As winter's austere power begins to fade, we notice the first signs of vigor and life returning to the world: delicate crocuses pushing through the damp earth; frogs croaking in the barely thawed ponds; the year's first warm breeze on our faces.

These first sure signs of spring bolster our spirits and remind us of the eternal cycle of death and rebirth, and also—more poignantly—of the steady march of time and our own advancing years. With each successive spring, it seems, we cherish the promise of renewed life more and more.

These thoughtfully chosen writings, poems and meditations—from Robert Frost, Lisa Couturier, William Blake and Lady Sarashina to the eighth-century Chinese poet Tu Fu and many others—both celebrate spring's re-emergence of life and evoke the season's delicate balance of growth and decay, youth and maturity, innocence and experience.

Explore the rich vibrancy of summer and reflect on how nature teaches us to value time—in this collection of reflections by our greatest writers.

A season of both growth and of stillness, of hard work in the garden and of relaxing in the cool of the mountains, summer is a celebratory time. Every day matters, says summer. Look around you. Life is starting up again after a long winter and spring, and we find ourselves in a world filled with creatures and plants and shimmers of heat on the subway, with backyard cookouts and ice cream trucks jingling through the neighborhood.

This collection of powerful, stirring pieces from a wealth of sources—ranging from poems composed in eighth-century China to letters from a pioneer woman in the American West, from the Declaration of Independence to Ray Bradbury’s musings on childhood summers—invites us all to fully experience the rich and bountiful spirituality of summer.

Enhance and enrich your spiritual journey with the power of herbs.

Herbs have been essential to spiritual beliefs and practices throughout time and history. From Christian Scripture to Hindu observances, Jewish ritual to early Islamic literature, Native American traditions to Buddhist symbolism, plants are seen as a blessing from God and a way to remain in harmony with Spirit.

In this fun, informative and engaging guide, you will be delighted by the history of the religious and spiritual use of herbs in many faith traditions and inspired by creative ideas on how to use herbs for spiritual growth. Unique and soul-strengthening activities can teach you how to:

• Create herbal art inspired by your faith
• Craft herbal wreaths, pillows and soaps from herbs selected for their spiritual qualities
• Prepare herbal teas, infused oils, meals and condiments with herbs chosen for their ability to nurture, strengthen and heal
• Make candles infused with herbs that promote balance and centering
• Nourish the soul with herbal sachets and potpourri
• Use incense and smudge sticks to imbue clarity and purity
• Design a simple herb garden of plants chosen from among different spiritual traditions
• Construct spaces in which to use herbs for reflection and meditation

Can religious people save the environment? Can the environmental challenge save religion?

Our planet is in trouble, and it will take an amazingly large and powerful force to shift into a more sustainable way of living. Spiritual leader and environmental activist Andrea Cohen-Kiener tells us that people of faith have the numbers, the passion and the mandate to do it—and that nothing else is strong enough to counterbalance "business as usual."

In this urgent call to action, Cohen-Kiener gathers insights from ecology coalitions, emerging theologies and spiritual and environmental activists to rally and inspire us to work across denominational lines in order to fulfill our sacred imperative to care for God's creation. Cohen-Kiener and contributors clearly outline the shared values of our faith traditions that drive our commitment to care for the earth. Acknowledging the challenges in working together to implement positive change, they present steps—both big and small, for individuals and groups—for reversing our direction from consumption to sustainability.

Contributors include:

• Rev. Woody Bartlett, founder, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light
• Rev. Tom Carr, National Council of Churches Working Group on the Environment
• Rev. Donna Schaper, senior minister, Judson Memorial Church, New York City
• Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Religious Witness for the Earth
• Eboo Patel, executive director, Interfaith Youth Core
• Dr. Lowell “Rusty” Pritchard, national director of outreach, Evangelical Environmental Network