While Chinese acupuncture and herbalism enjoy widespreadpopularity in the West, traditional Chinese exercisetechniques—with the exception of qi gong—have rarely been taughtoutside China. This book is designed to change that. Written by JunWang, a doctor of Chinese medicine, Cultivating Qi draws on classicChinese texts to introduce these body-mind healing exercises toWestern readers. In simple, accessible language, Wang presents three specific qiexercises: the Yijin Jing, a popular form of calisthenicsassociated with both Chinese Buddhist and Daoist traditions; TaijiNeigong, a series of 34 movements adapted from the Wu-Hao style ofTaiji Quan; and the “Six Healing Breaths,” which combines spokensounds with movements associated with the six major vital organs ofChinese medicine. Written for beginning students of Chinese medicine as well aslaypersons, healthcare practitioners, and martial artists,Cultivating Qi includes clear explanations of Chinese medicalterminology—and provides the

The first edition, released in 1995, was lauded by seasonedpractitioners and beginners alike. And no wonder. While most of theearly English-language books on feng shui were dauntingly mysticalor relied on complex calculations or culturally specific designpractices, Feng Shui Made Easy took a more holistic approach,clearly explaining the fundamentals while guiding readers on aninner journey of understanding. Thoughtfully written and beautifully illustrated, the book isstructured around an “architecture of consciousness” that is reallythe inner landscape. The book explores each “house” of thebagua—the chart representing one’s journey through life;relationships with parents, loved ones, and community; creativity;spirituality; and connectedness to the source of life—and thesymbolism of the corresponding I Ching trigram. Feng Shui Made Easyhelps readers discover the nature of these connections, as well aslearn what obstructions must be removed to change fixed patterns ofbehavior and rest

Constructing their essays around specific cultural artifactsthat were created in the period and locale under study, thecontributors describe the cultural interactions among differentJews–from rabbis and scholars to non-elite groups, includingwomen–as well as between Jews and the surrounding non-Jewish world.What they conclude is that although Jews have always had their ownautonomous traditions, Jewish identity cannot be considered thefixed product of either ancient ethnic or religious origins.Rather, it has shifted and assumed new forms in response to thecultural environment in which the Jews have lived. Mediterranean Origins , the first volume in Cultures ofthe Jews , describes the concept of the “People” or “Nation” ofIsrael that emerges in the Hebrew Bible and the culture of theIsraelites in relation to that of neighboring Canaanite groups. Italso discusses Jewish cultures in Babylonia, in Palestine duringthe Greco-Roman and Byzantine periods, and in Arabia during theformative ye