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May 1, 2022

Saint John of the Cross: Luminous Darkness

This book is a compendium of translations and commentary on the writings of St. John of the Cross (1542–1591) that invites readers to experience his “quintessential guidance for navigating the journey to union with Love Itself” that first drew me to the sublime poetry of this Spanish mystic.

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April 2, 2019

Wild Mercy:

Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics

The feminine mystic is one who gathers the pain of the world into her arms and transmutes it with "wild mercy"—a merging of fierce courage with the unstoppable forces of forgiveness, compassion, and love. And she is needed now more than ever.

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April 2, 2019

Julian of Norwich: The Showings
Uncovering the Face of the Feminine in Revelations of Divine Love

This new edition with updated gender language, a foreword by Fr. Richard Rohr and cover art by Erin Currier feels especially timely during our current age of upheaval and pandemic. Julian herself lived through several rounds of the black plague in medieval Europe and the Revelations of Divine Love that came through her are a source of comfort for navigating these turbulent times with the guidance of the sacred feminine. 

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July 6, 2004

The Interior Castle

The acclaimed modern translation of St. Teresa of Avila's classic book on spiritual awareness and guidance. 

 

Celebrated for almost five centuries as a master of spiritual literature, 16th-century saint Teresa of Avila is one of the most beloved religious figures in history. Overcome one day by a mystical vision of a crystal castle with seven chambers, each representing a different stage in spiritual development, Teresa immediately wrote The Interior Castle.

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December 28, 2021

Taking Refuge in the Wild Heart
An Audio Program

A guided audio journey excavating the jewels of feminine wisdom across the spiritual traditions with art, poetry, and storytelling, as well as classic and contemporary teachings from revolutionary women mystics of Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism.

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February 4, 2003

Dark Night of the Soul

While imprisoned in a tiny prison cell for his attempts to reform the Church, sixteenth-century Spanish mystic John of the Cross composed many of his now classic poems of the soul’s longing for God.

 

Written on a scroll smuggled to him by one of his guards, his songs are the ultimate expression of the spiritual seeker’s journey from estranged despair to blissful union with the divine

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October 1, 2013

The Showings of Julian of Norwich: A New Translation

A fresh and contemporary translation of one of the best loved and influential mystical texts of all time, The Showings of Julian of Norwich brings the message and spirituality of this 14th century mystic to 21st century readers.

Julian of Norwich, a contemporary of Geoffrey Chaucer, was an English anchoress in East Anglia. At the age of 30, suffering from a severe illness and believing she was on her deathbed, Julian had a series of intense visions of Jesus, which she recorded and then expanded on later in her life.

Her message for today's readers is simply this:

  • She reveals the feminine face of the Divine and reminds us to see God there.

  • All our failings are an opportunity to learn and grow; that they should be honored, but not dwelled upon.

  • God's love has nothing to do with love and retribution and everything to do with love and compassion.

  • In spite of all appearances, all is well.

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November 1, 2015

Caravan of No Despair:     A Memoir of Loss and Transformation

On the day her first book came out—a new translation of Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross—Mirabai Starr’s daughter, Jenny, was killed in a car accident.

 

“My spiritual life began the day my daughter died,” writes Mirabai. Even with decades of spiritual practice and a deep immersion in the greatest mystical texts, she found herself utterly unprepared for “my most powerful catalyst for transformation, my fiercest and most compassionate teacher.”

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February 9, 2016

Mother of God Similar to Fire

Fifty selected images by renowned icon-painter William Hart McNichols are illuminated by Mirabai Starr's lyrical prose-poems to help make the eternal figure of Mary vibrantly accessible.

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July 8, 2008

Teresa of Ávila:

The Book of My Life

Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) is one of the most beloved of the Catholic saints. In 1562, during the era of the Spanish Inquisition, Teresa sat down to write an account of the mystical experiences for which she had become famous. The result was this book, one of the great classics of spiritual autobiography. With this fresh translation of The Book of My Life, Mirabai Starr brings the inimitable Spanish mystic to life for a new generation, with contemporary English that mirrors Teresa's own earthy, vernacular Spanish, and that presents us with—four centuries after Teresa's death—someone we feel we know: a woman intoxicated with God yet filled with an overflowing love for the world.

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November 1, 2013

Saint Teresa of Avila: Passionate Mystic (Contemplations & Living Wisdom)

"The important thing is not to think much, but to love much, and so to do whatever best awakens us to love." ―St. Teresa of Avila

 

Journey to the 16th century to discover the fiery passion of Saint Teresa of Avila, one of Christianity's most inspiring saints. A tireless reformer and the mentor of Saint John of the Cross, Teresa's greatest legacy is her revelation of ecstatic love for God―a love so powerful that it pierces the heart like a burning sword.

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November 1, 2013

Saint Francis of Assisi: Brother of Creation (Contemplations & Living Wisdom) 

Saint Francis of Assisi lived only forty-four years, yet in his short lifetime, he managed to reform the entire Roman Catholic Church'not through revolution and dissent, but through gracious persuasion and his own living example of an authentic gospel life. Eight hundred years later, he is still revered across spiritual traditions as perhaps the most beloved saint. With Saint Francis of Assisi, Mirabai Starr offers readers an elegant book of prayers, poems, and contemplative writings to inspire readers with the lessons of his life. From his survival as a prisoner of war to the series of awakenings that led him to create an order of the Catholic Church that to this day bears his name, Francis? life was in constant evolution. Saint Francis of Assisi helps readers call upon the spirit of this modest Italian sage to guide their own lives with his eternal devotion to the divine, and his profound compassion toward all living things.

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February 5, 2013

God of Love:

A Guide to the heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

God of Love is Mirabai Starr’s passionate and personal exploration of the interconnected wisdom of the three Abrahamic faiths. She shares an overview of essential teachings, stories of saints and spiritual masters, prophetic calls for peace and justice, and for the first time in print, deeply engaging narratives from her own spiritual experiences. She guides readers to recognize the teachings and practices that unify rather then divide the three religions, and sheds light on the interspiritual perspective, which celebrates the Divine in all paths. It is Mirabai’s hope that this book will serve as a reminder that a dedication to lovingkindness is the highest expression of faith for all three religions.

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December 28, 2012

Hildegard of Bingen: Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom

Some call Hildegard of Bingen the original "rebel nun"—a woman of stunning visionary gifts who rose above the restrictions of her time to shape the destiny of Christianity. In Hildegard of Bingen, you are invited to encounter this remarkable woman, who dared to speak out with such strength and purpose that even the twelfth-century Church had to respect her divinely inspired wisdom. Through her writings, musical and lyrical compositions, and compassionate bravery, Hildegard invites you today to a place of stillness where you can clearly hear the inner wisdom that is your birthright. ,women's health, and herbal medicine to her courage in urging world rulers to choose peace over war, this enduring heroine shines across the centuries as an example of how to live fearlessly our own limitless radiance.

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December 28, 2012

Our Lady of Guadalupe: Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom

Our Lady of Guadalupe takes you to a time when a modest Aztec peasant had a vision of a radiant woman """"""""clothed in the sun."""""""" This divine presence began to emerge as a union between Mary of Christianity and the Mother Goddess of the native people. As her legend swept across the crumbling Aztec empire, she inspired millions of followers to peacefully embrace a changing world. Today, the beloved Lady of Guadalupe still acts as a benevolent, merciful force to help us rise above strife and violence. For those times when we are called to engage in compassionate yet decisive action, it is the force of the divine feminine embodied by Our Lady of Guadalupe that can guide our path. With poetry, prayers, and art gathered together by editor Mirabai Starr, Our Lady of Guadalupe gives you a powerful link to this blessed mother, and to the loving and righteous grace of her sacred energy.

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November 1, 2007

Saint Francis of Assisi: Devotions, Prayers and Living Wisdom

When a small village was plagued by a wild wolf, it is told that a humble friar named Francis came and met the predator with nothing but his gentle words—and turned the wolf from a menace to a welcome citizen. This graceful man, who spoke to each part of Creation as a sister or brother, has become one of the most beloved of all saints. In both joy and adversity, Saint Francis served as a bold example of how to live completely and authentically as a follower of Christ. From his survival as a prisoner of war to the series of awakenings that helped him to reform the Catholic Church, Francis drew his strength from his miraculous, loving union with the natural world.

Saint Francis of Assisi is an essential devotional reader for building your personal connection to the spirit of this modest Italian sage. Through stories, prayers, and his own writings, you are invited to share in Francis nourishing devotion to God, and in his profound compassion toward all living things.

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December 28, 2012

Saint John of the Cross: Devotion, Prayers & Living Wisdom

When the humble friar Juan de Yepes felt despair creeping into his heart after months of imprisonment, he cried out to God: ''Where have you hidden, my Beloved?'' Today, we can hear the answer to his plea in his transcendent poetry and prose, which stand as eternal testaments to Saint John's faith, insight, and courage in dark times. His uplifting masterpieces, such as ''The Spiritual Canticle'' and Dark Night of the Soul, are revered by spiritual masters of every tradition. In Saint John of the Cross, you are invited to enter into the mind and heart of one of contemplative Christianity's greatest visionaries. Through his writing and poetry, John of the Cross shares his wisdom for how we can abide in pure presence, which paths we can follow to bring clarity and peace to our souls, and how we can nurture a love that can transform even our most painful trials into an ecstatic communion with God. Saint John of the Cross was a Spanish mystic and Carmelite friar who played a major role in the Catholic Reformation. He was the protg of Saint Teresa of Avila, and he is honored as the patron saint of Spanish literature for his timeless writings on Christian mysticism.

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December 28, 2012

Saint Michael the Archangel:

Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom

The Archangel Michael embodies the essence of the spiritual warrior courageous and strong in the face of injustice or illusion, a ceaseless devotee of truth. With this collection of prayers, scripture, contemplations, and stories, readers have the perfect book for their home altar to call upon the protection and clarity of this beloved figure.

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November 1, 2007

Saint Teresa of Avila: Devotions, Prayers and Living Wisdom

Journey to the 16th century to discover the fiery passion of Saint Teresa of Avila, one of Christianity's most inspiring saints. A tireless reformer and the mentor of Saint John of the Cross, Teresa's greatest legacy is her revelation of ecstatic love for God's love so powerful that it pierces the heart like a burning sword. Through illness, hardship, and persecution by the Inquisition, this courageous mystic lit the way with her unquenchable spirit to an interior castle, a place of unimaginable beauty and light where no darkness can touch us. Saint Teresa of Avila gives you a direct link to the living presence of this brave and gentle woman, to draw upon her strength in your own times of need.

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