Gareth Higgins

Brian D. Mclaren

A beautifully illustrated children’s book that shows us all how to find a new way forward in a world that can be scary for kids and adults alike, from the acclaimed author of Faith After Doubt and the beloved storyteller behind How Not to be Afraid Cory the raccoon and Cory’s best friend Owl love their happy, peaceful village and want to keep it that way. But things begin to change for the worse when some of their neighbors, including Badger, Fox, and Weasel, become fierce and angry critters who fight and bully others in the village, driving away those who they deem “dirty and bad.” It breaks Cory and Owl’s hearts to see their village filled with anger, fear, and fighting—but what can they do? A wise visitor named Switfhorse arrives and helps Cory and Owl understand six old stories that explain what is happening: The story of power to dominate, the story of striking back with fury and hate, the story of running to find a safe place, or pointing at others to shame and disgrace, or being stuck in self-pity for the pain we’ve been through, or of me having more Shiny Objects than you. Finally, Cory and Owl find a way to reunite all of the villagers through a new story—the seventh story—where the story is peace and the hero is love! Children and parents alike will delight in this hope-filled tale that teaches us how we can all extend peace, love, and laughter to everyone we meet.

Cory and the Seventh Story

The world seems terrifying. Whether your fear is about violence, shame, illness, money, meaning, or the collapse of certainty, you are not alone. Yet the power of the fear we feel depends on the story we tell about fear. Fight, flee, or freeze: are these are only options? Growing up near the troubled city of Belfast, Gareth Higgins was schooled in suspicion, mistrust, and paranoia. Would someone be lurking behind the door? Was there a bomb under that car? Yet fear feeds on the stories we tell ourselves, Higgins claims, and in the pages of How Not to Be Afraid, he delves into the mechanisms of fear, as well as the quiet, immense strength of individuals and communities that refuse to let it reign. Grounded in personal experience and expert reflection on violence, conflict transformation, and trauma recovery, Higgins traces vulnerability as strength to address seven common fears that plague each of us at some point in our lives. By examining such topics as the fear of being alone, the fear of not having enough, and the fear of violence and death, he invites readers into habits of hope rooted in Celtic spirituality and the mysteries of love. In the rich spiritual, activist, and literary tradition of Walter Wink and Kathleen Norris, Higgins points us toward tenderness, empathy, and gentle encounter with each other and with our deepest and most relentless fears. He shows us how we can replace our narratives of fear and cynicism with better stories. Peace is the way to itself, he reveals, and when we choose this path, our lives will never be the same.

Seven Ways to Live When Everything Seems Terrifying

How Not to Be Afraid

﻿We live in a time where we seem more afraid than ever. The rise of populism, polarization and aggression in politics, the media and popular culture, and the climate crisis have coincided with the collapse of previously cherished norms and expectations about economic stability, community life, and even the future of the planet. And all this before the pandemic struck. No wonder we are overwhelmed by anxiety. Popular speaker, storyteller and activist Gareth Higgins exposes the root causes of fear and shows how we can break its power through life-giving stories, simple spiritual exercises and practical steps to take as individuals and communities. He contends that it’s time to tell ourselves new stories about the world in which we live, stories that will liberate the greater forces of love, courage and joy. Reflecting on his experience of growing up during the Troubles in Ireland, he shares authentic wisdom that can enable us not only to find calm in the storm, but even to calm the storm itself.

How Not To Be Afraid

Brian McLaren

Us, Them, and the End of Violence

The Seventh Story

Brian D. McLaren

The story we tell about the world shapes how we live. Along Cory's journey, readers will discover six familiar stories that have repeated through history, teaching us all how to dominate, fear, or withdraw from the world and the beautiful people in it. The good news is that there is another story, a path of openheartedness toward others. Cory's discovery of the Seventh Story will inspire children and adults alike. It's a book aimed to help kids grow up resilient and full of wonder - and grown-ups can learn from it, too.

Is there more to going to the movies than just mindless entertainment? Author Gareth Higgins, avid moviegoer and film critic, says there is. How Movies Helped Save My Soul is a guidebook for looking at films and finding hidden spiritual truths. With chapters on fear, God, justice, love, power, and more, Higgins teaches how to make sense of the spiritual by looking at films with a new perspective. From The Matrix to Magnolia, Fight Club to Field of Dreams, Higgins takes the reader through more than 200 films that, if looked at the right way, just might change lives. Movie buffs and novices alike will find much to enjoy, provoke, amuse, challenge and confound in How Movies Helped Save My Soul. Book jacket.

Gareth Higgins

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