Sacred Ponds (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9798991415545)

Community. Charity. Conviction.

Three principles ever intertwined but never perfectly integrated in the span of a thousand years. In each of three portraits, characters challenge what is presumed infallible, but never dismiss it; instead, they seek to see it for what it is and decide how they will incorporate it into their own lives.

Charlemagne's Empire (800 AD): The focus on the one and only religion and the fear of science cause two monks to leave for a more open Arab society. Eventually, they must decide where they belong.

Meiji Japan (1800 AD): The transition to an industrial society leaves many behind. Buddhist introspection and Shinto traditions are valued over actions, until a woman starts a new charitable movement-one that is met with resistance by the establishment.

Nepal (2000 AD): Dreadful acts were committed as the country struggled to oust a king deemed the incarnation of a Hindu god and elect a communist government. Now the children of a hero of the revolution must deal with their father's actions and determine which beliefs from the past are worth keeping.