A concise guide of what to expect when attending ceremonies of the world's major religions from how to behave, to what to wear, this handy reference book gives you what you need to know for respectful participation in different faiths around the world.
In today's multicultural society we are increasingly likely to meet and become friends with people from different religious backgrounds, and to find ourselves attending an unfamiliar ceremony. When this happens, there can be few of us who know exactly what to expect or are confident about how to behave.
This book will help you:
- Understand the backgrounds of the key festivals, ceremonies, and practices of the major world religions
- Participate in the main holidays and festivals of the different religious calendars
- Know what to expect and how to behave when invited to attend a Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist service
- Join in the family celebrations of friends from different backgrounds, armed with this basic information, you will feel relaxed enough to enjoy the occasion
- Perhaps inspired to discover more about the spiritual world view of another cultural tradition.
It is very easy to potentially offend when you are unfamiliar with another's religious customs.
So, here's some quick Top Tips:
- Do not take alcohol to a Muslim celebration
- Never point your feet at the Murti (sacred deity) in a Hindu Temple
- Be prepared to stand for up to three hours at an Orthodox Christian wedding
- Do not take flowers to a Jewish funeral
- Keep your head covered at all times inside a Sikh Gurdwara (Temple)
- Flowers are welcome at a Catholic or Protestant funeral
- Be prepared to be gender-segregated at a Muslim wedding
- Cover your arms, legs, and chest, but not your head, at a Buddhist Temple
Access the world's religions with Simple Guides: Religion a series of concise, accessible introductions to faiths around the world. Written by experts in the field, they offer an engaging and sympathetic description of the key concepts, beliefs, and practices of different faiths. Ideal for spiritual seekers and travellers alike, Simple Guides aims to open the doors of perception. Together the books provide a reliable compass to the world's great spiritual traditions, and a point of reference for further exploration and discovery. By offering essential insights into the core values, customs, and beliefs of different societies, they also enable visitors to be aware of the cultural sensibilities of their hosts, and to behave in a way that fosters mutual respect and understanding.
Akasha Lonsdale is an Interfaith Minister. Her two-year seminary training in London included instruction in the major religions and sacred traditions of the world, and her vocation brings her into frequent contact with people of every faith and none. She has practiced as a psychotherapist, both privately and within Britain's National Health Service. Her corporate background was in senior human resource management. She is an effective and experienced executive coach, trainer, seminar speaker, and EAP counsellor, specializing in Emotional Intelligence and Stress Management. She has written for a variety of publications, and her book How to Do Life-Powerful Pointers for Powerful Living became one of the most popular self-help titles in the United Kingdom. Akasha Lonsdale brings to Do I Kneel or Do I Bow? an informed, sensitive, and enlightened approach born of wide knowledge, personal experience, and psychological insight.
