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| Everyday Herbs in Spiritual Life: A Guide to Many Practices | ||
By Michael J. Caduto. Woodstock, Vermont: SkyLight Paths, 2007. 176 pages, 5.5x8.5, 20 b/w illustrations, activities, glossary of herbs and their uses. Ages 13 and up. Available May 2007. |
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An introduction to using herbs for spiritual practices that anyone can do—a book that is fun, informative, unique and spiritually enriching. No other book focuses on these sacred plants as a blessing from God and as a way to remain in harmony with Spirit. Readers will be delighted by the history of the religious and spiritual use of herbs in many faith traditions and the inspirational quotes from sacred books, saints and healers such as Hildegard of Bingen. This hands-on guide to incorporating special herbs into our spiritual lives contains rituals, ceremonies, poems, songs and meals (many newly created for the book), descriptions of herbs and their uses across many traditions and engaging information on how herbs are used for healing our physical—and spiritual—selves. In addition to learning about the different herbs used in religious ceremonies (for instance, the bitter herbs for the Jewish Passover Seder), the reader will find creative ideas on adapting biblical gardens for small plots and pots on porches, and for using herbs to make labyrinths, candles, soaps, teas, wreaths, tinctures and myriad other creations for spiritual intent. A resource section gives tips on how to dry herbs and where to get them if you don’t grow them yourself. Gardeners, herbalists and anyone interested in a fresh (and aromatic) approach to spiritual growth will enjoy this journey through the ancient and modern world of sacred herbs |
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| ABRAHAM’S BIND & Other Bible Tales of Trickery, Folly, Mercy and Love | ||
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by Michael J. Caduto. Woodstock, Vermont: SkyLight Paths, 2006. 216 pages, 6x9, map & study guide. Ages 13 and up. | |
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Provocative and moving, ABRAHAM’S BIND is a novel — a broad, sweeping adventure based on the Book of Genesis, from Abraham to Joseph. Barren and despairing Sarah becomes pregnant — learning that nothing is impossible. Jacob the trickster is, in turn, deceived into marrying the wrong wife — learning that love wields a double-edged sword. Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers, only to rise to wield the power of life and death over them. This epic tale introduces the Knife of the Covenant — symbol of God’s commitment to humankind and reminder that we walk a thin edge along our journey of faith. Here is the crucible of our lives: the true test of our powers of strength and conviction in the face of adversity, our wrestling with the range of human emotion, from jealousy and rage to kindness, sacrifice, and generosity toward the ones we love. | |
| Reviews: | ||
“A deft re-telling.… Stories I have known and treasured over many decades moved me, for the first time in my life, to tears. To read Abraham’s Bind is to submit one’s spiritual imagination to a whole other level of poignancy and power.” |
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- Phyllis Tickle, editor, The Divine Hours, Religion Editor (Ret.) Publishers Weekly |
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| In the Beginning: The Story of Genesis and Earth Activities for Children | ||
| by Michael J. Caduto. Illustrated by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 2004. 38 pages, 10x10 hardcover with full color illustrations. | ||
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In this book renowned storyteller and environmental educator Michael J. Caduto presents the story of Genesis in an imaginative new voice that will appeal to children of many faiths. Lucid illustrations immerse readers in the natural world of the Bible. Thoughtful reflections and engaging activities show how to draw on this ancient Earth wisdom. In the Beginning is an inspiring and entertaining book that will touch the heart of every child. It is a valuable resource for parents, teachers, clergy, camp counselors, environmental educators, and others who want to help children understand the roots of their faith while exploring and preserving Creation for the generations to come. | |
| A Child of God: Stories of Jesus and Stewardship Activities for Children | ||
| by Michael J. Caduto. Illustrated by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, autumn 2005. 38 pages, 10x10 hardcover with full color illustrations. | ||
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In an original voice, this book recounts the stories of Jesus's life and his connections to nature. Lucid illustrations immerse readers in the natural world of the New Testament. A Child of God also contains thoughtful reflections and engaging activities that show how to understand and act upon the wisdom of Jesus's teachings. This book reminds us that we are all children of God: members of the natural world and human communities alike. It is a valuable resource for parents, teachers, clergy, camp counselors, environmental educators, and others who want to help children understand the roots of their faith while building human community and both exploring and preserving Creation for the generations to come. | |
| Remains Unknown: The Final Journey of a Human Spirit | ||
| by Michael J. Caduto. Illustrated by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. Bennington, Vermont: Images From the Past, 1999. 70 pages, cloth, 5- 1/2 x 7 -1/4 , illustrated. | ||
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He somehow found his way to Vermont soon after the Mexican War. It was a long journey; the beginning of a private purgatory that lasted over 150 years. At last, with the help of friends he'd never met, he took the final steps in a quiet cemetery by the river on a sultry afternoon. In this strange and haunting tale, which is based on a true story, the reader enters a world suspended between our earthly existence and the realm of the human spirit. A small community of people embarks on an adventure that compels them to bring the mysterious remains of one long dead to a resting place of peace and grace. With help from two distinct spiritual traditions, and a dose of healing humor in the face of grief, the journey unfolds with a sense of dignity and compassion. | |
| Reviews: | ||
| "Caduto's latest gem...this tale speaks volumes to us of the soul-gaps left in us by a "purely scientific" approach to the mystery of human life. It brings us back to old spiritual questions and longings that the glitzy new religion of science cannot answer or satisfy. I was moved to tears." | ||
- The Times Argus |
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"This magical book bridges the contemporary and the historic worlds, along with the spirit world beyond our understanding of time and space...a well-crafted jewel of a story." |
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- E. Barrie Kavasch, author/illustrator of American Indian Healing Arts and Founder, Native American Spirituality Circle |
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"Remains Unknown fuses body and spirit, showing how a history of disrespect on the material plane creates a soul in pain. Michael Caduto gently and wisely reveals our need and our duty to help each other heal--whether we are friends and neighbors or strangers separated by seeming chasms of time and circumstance. It is a haunting, yet joyous tale, one that lingers long in the mind." |
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- Professor Philip Deloria, Department of History, University of Colorado, Boulder |
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"This little story clarifies a big issue; it reminds us that repatriation of human remains is, after all, a question of human respect." |
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- Colin Calloway, author and Chair, Native American Studies Center at Dartmouth College |
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There are more than 100 books in print that contain Michael J. Caduto's writing, including: Green Teacher: The Elementary Years by Tim and Gail Littlejohn (eds.) Teaching Goodness: Engaging the Moral and Academic Promise of Young Children by Joan F. Goodman and Usha Balamore, This American River: Five Centuries of Writing About the Connecticut by W. D. Wetherell, Teaching for a Tolerant World: Essays and Resources, Judith P. Robertson (ed.) and the National Council of Teachers of English Committee on Teaching about Genocide and Intolerance, Vermont Voices II: An Anthology and Vermont Voices III: An Anthology, Roots and Branches: A Resource of Native American Literature--Themes, Lessons, and Bibliographies by Dorothea M. Susag, The Fulcrum Reader: Tenth Anniversary Edition, Teacher's Read Aloud Anthology, The Nature of Things and The Second Nature of Things by Will Curtis, Window to Our World: An International Collection of Kids' Art by the San Francisco Bay Area Book Council, The Green Umbrella: Stories, Songs, Poems and Starting Points for Environmental Assemblies by Jill Brand et. al. (eds.), Harvesting One Hundredfold: Key Concepts and Case Studies in Environmental Education by Dr. Donella H. Meadows, How Nature Works: Regenerating Kinship with Planet Earth by Michael J. Cohen, Ed.D., Hands-On Nature: Information and Activities for Exploring the Environment with Children, Jenepher Lingelbach (ed.).
Several books about authors contain Michael J. Caduto's biography, including the Eighth Book of Junior Authors and Illustrators , Connie C. Rockman (ed.), Something About the Author: Facts and Pictures about Authors and Illustrators of Books for young People (volume 103), Alan Hedblad (ed.) and A State of Mind: Writing in Vermont, by Yvonne Daley.