"One of the most powerful acts of devotion is also one of the most simple: bowing down and surrendering to the earth. This is the basis for the Five Prostrations, a time-honored Buddhist meditation practice that joins the mind and body. On Touching the Earth, Buddhist masters Thich Nhat Hanh and Sister Chân Không update this ancient teaching for the modern student. You learn each phase of this practice, which will help empty your body of resentment...

Professor Muesse examines the four religious giants both separately and comparatively in an effort to grasp the essential features of their lives and to explore the factors that contributed to their greatness. He discusses the similarities and differences in their messages, in the patterns of their lives, and in the ways they impacted their followers and the rest of the world.