Visionaries

Author of numerous books including a History of God, Through the Narrow Gate, Holy War, Islam and Buddha, Karen Armstrong is also the author of three television documentaries and took part in Bill Moyer's television series Genesis (part of the Hartley Film Foundation Masterworks collection). Since September 11, 2001, she has been a frequent and sought after contributor on the subject of Islam to conferences, panels, newspapers and periodicals.

German theologian and ethicist Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pacifist who offered one of the first clear voices of resistance to Adolf Hitler, openly challenged his church to stand with the Jews in their time of need, and eventually joined a plot to assassinate the Fürher.

Dr. Joan Borysenko brings her scientific background into play when she focuses on the part spirit plays in healing. She was trained as a cell biologist and a psychologist and is now involved in research on psychoneuroimmunology and the great spiritual traditions.

A legendary teacher and masterful storyteller of myths, Campbell was awarded the National Arts Club Gold Medal of Honor in Literature in 1985 with the accolade: "No one in our century, not Freud, not Thomas Mann, not Levi-Strauss, has so brought the mythical sense of the world and its eternal figures back into our everyday consciousness."

Buddhist nun Pema Chodron, a renowned lojong teacher and practitioner, is resident teacher at Gampo Abbey in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

The Dalai Lama speaks in English for most of the six-hour lecture on the Four Noble Truths, the first sermon given by Buddha following his enlightenment. As the Dalai Lama delves into the finer points of Tibetan philosophy, he turns to his native language and speaks through a translator. His intellect and scholarship shine as he refers often to Buddhist scriptures and commentaries and his mischievous sense of humor and inspiring compassion are very much in evidence.

American mystic Ram Dass, formerly psychologist Richard Alpert, has led the life of a seeker, traveler, and social activist who applies spiritual principles to social realities.

Dr. Eck delights in America as the most religiously diverse nation in the world, and has a profound understanding of the complex challenges such diversity presents. Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies, Dr. Eck also directs the Pluralism Project at Harvard, which documents the growing presence of the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Zoroastrian communities in the U.S.

Dr. Forbes espouses interfaith cooperation in the strongest terms. The New York Riverside Church Senior Minister does not divide the world into "do-gooders" and "evil-dooers," rather he calles on all individuals to live according to their highest values. He believes that one needs to "prepare for interfaith cooperation" and cautions that the "desire to maintain purity within the ranks of the faithful," while well-intentioned, can lead to closing doors against other religious traditions.

Radical prayer, Matthew Fox says, is "the utterance of your heart." A spiritual theologian and the founder and president of the University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland, California, Fox envisions living every moment with awareness that all thoughts, feelings and actions have a profound impact on everyone and everything.

Arun Gandhi, grandson of the late Mahatma Gandhi, heeded his grandfather's charge to "plant seeds in the minds of people, in hopes that they will germinate," when he founded the Gandhi Institute in Memphis, TN in order to spread the seeds of peace.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Zen Master in the Vietnamese tradition, as well as a renowned scholar and poet who is known for his teachings on mindfulness and compassion. He was nominated for the 1967 Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr. On this audio CD set, Thich Nhat Hahn explores in depth the roots of anger and emerges with real solutions to the violence we commit against ourselves and each other.

Andrew Harvey, renowned scholar of mysticism, Rumi translator, poet, writer, teacher and activist, believes that each individual can become a mystical activist by "becoming conscious at every level and conscious of all choices."

Cistercian priest, monk and abbot Father Thomas Keating meditates on a practice he calls "centering prayer." The goal of centering prayer is to let go of self-interest and to surrender to God, and Father Keating serves as a luminous example of one who has committed his life to this discipline.

In his own words, world-renowned spiritual leader J. Krishnamurti teaches that the discovery of truth, or enlightenment, cannot be attained by following any leader, institution or ideology, but only through serious personal inquiry into one's own experiences.

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. He was Fellow and Tutor in English literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. His major contributions in literary criticism, children's literature, fantasy literature and popular theology brought him international renown and acclaim.

A monk of the austere Trappist order, world famous 20th-century religious philosopher Thomas Merton evolved into an eloquent spiritual writer and mystic as well as an anti-war advocate and witness to peace.

Founder and Chairman of the Cordoba Initiative, which is dedicated to the enhancement of relations between the Muslim world and the U.S., Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf argues that Islamic principles support the fundemental values of a pluralistic, democratic society. He teaches Islam and Sufism and is founder of the American Society for Muslim Advancement, which cultivates and supports Islamic Art and Culture. He is also on the Board of Trustees of the Interfaith Center of New York.

Russell is considered by many to be a revolutionary futurist who envisions a future melding of science and the spirit. He has an advanced degree in computer science from Cambridge University and conducted some of the earliest work on 3-D dimensional displays. Russell is also a filmmaker, author and management consultant.

A respected and beloved authority on world religions, Dr. Smith is a practicing Methodist who prays five times a day in Arabic, does hatha yoga, and holds a doctorate and twelve honorary degrees in comparative philosophies and religions.

Sobonfu, whose name means "keeper of the rituals," is an author, teacher, and leading authority on African women's spirituality in the West who has traveled extensively throughout Europe and North America conducting workshops. Somé is the founder of Ancestors Wisdom Spring, an organization dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of indigenous wisdom.

Dr. Robert Thurman is a Columbia University professor, leading Buddhist scholar, author and former Tibetan Buddhist monk.

Considered by many to be the foremost Western interpreter of Eastern thought, Alan Watts became during his lifetime a world-renowned lecturer and author on Zen Buddhism.