Journey of the Mind is the first publication from Without Shape Without Form (WSWF), an arts organisation and arts space established in 2017 by volunteers from the Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara (GMGG) in Slough, England. WSWF is the UK’s first, and currently only, permanent Sikh art gallery.   The publication has been created as an illustrated introduction to the history, stories and teachings of Sikhism. The Gurus - the teachers of the Sikh faith - shared a message of kindness, equality and inclusivity, helping all humanity find peace in troubled times and connect with truth through the journey of the mind.   We live in difficult times. Many people struggle with hectic schedules and constant pressure from a busy world in which we are always connected through digital media but are somehow less connected to each other in real life.   The impact of Covid-19, and the constant worry and isolation that many of us experienced, have left their mark on our mental health. On top of this, concern for the health of our planet and social injustice have left some feeling hopeless.   The mission of the Gurus was supported by brave and inspiring warriors who, following the teaching of the Gurus, devoted their minds to Waheguru (the Creator) and found peace in the face of adversity.   The last Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, is not a person, but a collection of texts embodying the teachings of Sikhism, accessible to everyone, for all time.   Journey of the Mind shares the wisdom of these texts, including excerpts in the original Gurmukhi, Punjabi. Digital paintings by world-renowned Sikh artist Kanwar Singh illustrate the stories of those who attained the highest spiritual levels, which gave them the clarity and foresight to see all as one.   In today's frenetic, turbulent world, the message of the Gurus is more relevant than ever - we have everything we need within us to achieve peace. It is the ambition and hope of WSWF that people will be inspired by these words to embark on their own journey of the mind.   Journey of the Mind is a publication and travelling exhibition by Without Shape Without Form. The book has been designed and produced by Herman Lelie. It is co-published by Without Shape Without Form and Anomie Special Projects, London.

Since its discovery and the initial efforts toward its critical edition, the Paippalādasaṃhitā of the Atharvaveda (PS) has attracted the attention of Vedic scholars and Indologists for several reasons. It constitutes a precious source for the study of the development of the earliest language. The text contains important information about various rites and magical practices, and hints about the oldest Indo-Iranian and Indo-European myths. All of this makes the PS a text of inestimable value for the study of Indian language and culture.

In recent decades, Nepal has witnessed a dramatic shift from its ancient form of Hindu kingship to a federal republican democratic secular order, with the official dissolution of monarchy in 2008. This study deals with the religious lives of the Śāh kings of Nepal, concentrating on such major rituals as the “coronation” (rājyābhiṣeka) and the autumnal navarātri (Goddess-centered) festival. This study unravels how religion and politics were deeply intertwined in the ritual activities, and how the rituals, in their traditional deeply religious and devotional settings, exerted a maximum of socio-political powers for the king and his institutions.

Buddhism originated in north India and spread to other parts of the subcontinent in the third century BCE. The Andhra region, located along the south-east coast of India, welcomed Buddhism and a stūpa, probably built to house a relic of the Buddha from the north, was constructed at Amaravati. From 200 BCE, the stūpa was enlarged and substantially embellished over several centuries, making it one of the most important Buddhist monuments in India. However, the stūpa fell into decline from the 14th century and it was re-discovered and excavated only in the 19th century. In 1880 more than 120 of the Amaravati sculptures entered the collection of the British Museum, with other pieces eventually finding their way to museums in India, Europe and America.The papers in this book emerged from a conference at the British Museum held in September 2014 that brought together leading specialists from around the world to address aspects of Amaravati and its sculpture. Subjects covered in this volume include the rediscovery of the stūpa at the end of the 18th century as well as its recreation in the 21st century. The art of Amaravati is also placed in the context of other sites and remains from the Andhra region which, despite its importance, has been relatively neglected in the study of the religious and visual cultures of South Asia.

No, but we are different. Tonpa Sherab treated men and women in the same way, he passed on his teachings to both men and women and that is why we nuns are on equal footing with the monks, quite unlike the Buddhists.' The Bön religion is often seen as a part of the Tibetan Buddhism but its bond is actually far more complex and has its own origin in the history of Tibet. The role of women worshipping in Bön and Tibetan Buddhism, is quite different. And although there are studies on Buddhist nuns, there is hardly any research available on nuns in the Bön tradition. This pioneering study vividly portrays the nuns of the Redna Menling monastery in Dolanji (India), the headquarters of the Bön religion, in exile. It focuses on the developments of the Bön in exile, the specific context in which Bön nuns live and how the monastic tradition takes shape. It provides interesting insights into the monastic community in exile, the historic context of the Bön religion as well as the personal motives to become a nun.