New Zealand Spirituality and "New Age"

(55k)

Journeys Into the Mystery by Gary Cook.  ISBN 095820408X. Published by StonePrint Press. Recommended retail price $18.

“I was dissatisfied with the history of New Zealand we were taught at school… I always felt short changed. Growing up in a remote Maori school, I couldn’t understand why the Maori stories, and whakapapa, were not an accepted part of the past, part of a truth that revealed a deeper history.”

Thus speaks Gary Cook who shares his intriguing journeys into this land, its sacred places and its hidden past.

Open to all that might unfold, he writes… “My journey into our past has taken me into the land in ways that have surprised me. I have touched the stone and the waters and in turn been touched by them. I have traced the outline of ancient carved symbols with the tops of my fingers and been moved. I have been taken beyond the story to the spirit that is of this land, of its past, of its many peoples of yesteryear, and now… Thus do the ancestors speak and thus are they honored when we stand still and listen.”

This is not a hard-edged history. But it does cut deep, for it walks the margins where the truth so often abides.

Gary Cook – journalist, business leader, health professional, avid researcher and explorer – a multi-talented enthusiast dedicated to uncovering the mysteries of New Zealand’s past. A regular magazine contributor, whose stories have touched the hearts of many. Honored internationally for his achievements. Awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by the Open International University of Complementary Medicine, holder of the prestigious Gold Medal of Honor USA, and Secretary General of the United Cultural Convention. Soft cover, 200 pages. Published in 2002.

(18k)

Long, White & Cloudy: In Search of a Kiwi Spirituality by John Bluck. Recommended retail price $15, our price $14.

Are we nearer the Kiwi spirit when we’re on the sports field or sharing good food and wine with close friends than when we’re in church? What constitutes this elusive quality in contemporary New Zealand? At a time when allegiance to institutional religion is somewhat shaky, the Dean of Christchurch, John Bluck, explores Kiwi spirituality in a book that is always lively, approachable, thought-provoking, and often surprising. A gifted commentator with an eye for humor and no tolerance for cant or stuffiness, John Bluck presents a range of invigorating ideas and challenges that will appeal to all readers interested in the important issues of life in Aotearoa today.  Soft cover, 112 pages.

(73k)

Religions of New Zealanders edited by Peter Donovan. ISBN 0864692625. Published by Dunmore Press. Recommended retail price $30.

As our society becomes more diverse ethnically, and more pluralistic in lifestyle and values, there is a growing need for well-informed and fair-minded views on religious belief and practice.
Religions of New Zealanders is the first book to offer a factual, across-the-board introduction to the many faiths and spiritual paths in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The material presented here is of rich variety and sometimes striking diversity. There is every indication that religion will continue to play a part i many people's lives. It is also likely that inter-religious tensions and multi-faith cooperation will have an increasing role in our future. Soft cover, 277 pages. Published in 1996.

Click on links below for these books

Song of the Stone by Barry Brailsford

Wisdom of the Four Winds by Barry Brailsford

Last modified on Tuesday, August 19, 2003