Body Mind & Spirit: A Dictionary of New Age Ideas, People, Places, and Terms

In our fast-changing world, people are stretching out beyond the traditional scientific world view and are seeking new answers to life's seemingly unanswerable questions. Body, Mind, & Spirit offers a completely up-to-date reference of New Age terms and ideas for those seeking a different path. The entries range from Acupressure to Zen Buddhism with everything from King Arthur to Psychokinesis to Shamanism in between. By presenting a whole range of subjects---different spiritual and esoteric traditions, paranormal phenomena, people and places---this unique dictionary will prove to be an invaluable resource for those embarking on a voyage of self-discovery.

Covering a range of subjects--spiritual and esoteric traditions, paranormal phenomena, and people and places--the authors hope their work "will provide a useful starting point for those embarking on a voyage of self-discovery." Entries range from Acupuncture to Zoroastrianism and include biographical sketches of the standard people in the field, such as Madame Blavatsky and Edgar Cayce. Such current popular theories as A Course in Miracles, Crystals, and Pyramid Power are treated. Most entries are a paragraph in length; a few, such as Hypnosis, are more than two pages. See references are clearly indicated; see also references are shown in boldface type. (It would be helpful to have the latter convention explained in the foreword.) The authors attempt to represent a variety of traditions, including Western and Eastern religions, Native American spirituality, and others. The extensive bibliography is a mixture of the scholarly and the popular.

Originally published in Great Britain as Dictionary of Mind, Body and Spirit, this book is similar to other popular treatments of this topic, such as Harper's Encyclopedia of Mystical & Paranormal Experience (1991). While not an essential purchase, Body, Mind & Spirit will be useful in libraries where clients are interested in New Age religions and spiritual movements.