Steps To Water

Steps to Water

From the fifth to the nineteenth centuries, the people of western India built stone cisterns to collect the water of the monsoon rains and keep it accessible for the remaining dry months of the year. These magnificent structures-known as stepwells or stepped ponds-are much more than utilitarian reservoirs. Their lattice-like walls, carved columns, decorated towers, and intricate sculpture make them exceptional architecture., while their very presence tells much about the region's ecology and history. For these past 500 years, stepwells have been an integral part of western Indian communities as sites for drinking, washing, and bathing, as well as for colorful festivals and sacred rituals. Steps to Water traces the fascinating history of stepwells, from their Hindu origins, to their zenith during Muslim rule, and eventual decline under British occupation. It also reflects on their current use, preservation, and place in Indian communities. In stunning color and quadtone photographs and drawings, Steps to Water reveals the depth of the stepwells' beauty and their intricate details, and serves as a lens on these fascinating cultural and architectural monuments.

Breathing Under Water

We are all addicted in some way. When we learn to identify our addiction, embrace our brokenness, and surrender to God, we begin to bring healing to ourselves and our world. In Breathing Under Water, Richard Rohr shows how the gospel principles in the Twelve Steps can free anyone from addiction - from an obvious dependence on alcohol or drugs to the more common but less visible addiction that we all have to sin. Richard Rohr, is one of the greatest discoveries of the Twelve Step program, America's most significant and authentic contribution to the history of spirituality. Rohr makes a case that the Twelve Steps relate well to Christian teaching and can rescue any of us who are drowning in addiction and might not even realize it-and we are all addicted in some way. To survive the tidal wave of compulsive behavior and addiction, Christians must learn "to breathe under water" and discover God's love and compassion. In this exploration of Twelve Step Spirituality, Rohr identifies the core Christian principles in the Twelve Steps, connecting them to the Gospels. 'A must-read for any person who recognizes the need to go "inward" on their soul’s journey to question what their relationship is with God, themselves, and others.' The Cord 'Rohr is a perfect writer on the subject of the 12 Steps. His easy-to-read book is essentially a commentary on each of the steps, with twelve chapters and a postscript that concisely tackles the big religious questions of human suffering, suffering with which addicts and their families are intimately acquainted. Jesus, Rohr answers, is no stranger to suffering . . . This is a good book for those in recovery from addiction and those who love them.' Publishers Weekly 'Richard Rohr continues to guide us to greater wholeness . . . his books have helped countless souls, especially those who struggle with issues of brokenness and seek transformation.' National Catholic Reporter

The Accursed Land; Or, First Steps on the Water-way of Edom