Inspiring talks

Shaykh Yahya Rhodus gives a khutbah on the importance of prioritizing when pursuing worldly ends as means for the Ultimate Ends.

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Shaykh Yahya Rhodus was born in Kansas City, Missouri. At the age of 19, he embraced Islam in Santa Clara, California. He began his study of Islam with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and visiting Mauritanian scholars such as Shaykh Khatri wuld Baybba and Shaykh Abdullah wuld Ahmadna. In 1998, Ustadh Yahya traveled to Mauritania to pursue a full-time course of study, where he learned from some of Mauritania's greatest scholars, including the distinguished, Murabit al-Hajj. He also spent an interim period in Damascus, Syria where he received formal education in the Arabic language, grammar, and Qur’anic recitation. 

In 2000, Ustadh Yahya moved to Tarim, Yemen to continue his studies at the prestigious learning institute, Dar al-Mustafa. There, he spent his formative years studying with the renowned scholars, Habib 'Umar bin Hafiz and Habib ‘Ali al-Jifri, along with other local scholars. He studied various sciences including Tafsir, Hadith, theology, jurisprudence, legal theory, the Prophetic biography, and Arabic poetry.

In the latter part of 2005, Ustadh Yahya returned to the U.S. and served as a full-time teacher at Zaytuna Institute. He subsequently returned overseas to further his studies while he also participated in religious programs worldwide, lecturing, teaching, and translating. In 2008, he was the official translator for Habib ‘Ali al-Jifri at the Common Word Conference held at Yale University and he has translated for Habib 'Umar bin Hafiz at speaking engagements internationally. 

In 2010, Ustadh Yahya returned to California and completed his Bachelor of Arts in Near Eastern Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He travels regularly teaching, lecturing, and conducting weekend seminars with institutes such as the Deen Intensive Foundation. He also offers on-line instruction through SeekersGuidance.

(Biography from SeekersGuidance.org)

Shaykh Yahya Rhodus - On Ends And Means - 18/10/2013

Thomas Edison one said:  "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Tom Kelley, partner at IDEO and co-author of "Creative Confidence," tells us that, in order to innovate, you have to be willing to try—and fail.

Creativity, Failure, and Innovation

'Jonnie made me see London through new eyes.' James Corden

'A charming and surprising alternative tour of London. We loved this book' Map Men

Jonnie 'is a conduit for the city's soul, distilling its chaotic history into digestible, engaging narratives' The Times 

 Have you ever tried to find a street named Bond Street? (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t exist!) 

Did you know you can’t dine for 13 at the Savoy? At least not without a cat joining you …

And have you heard about the bus that jumped Tower Bridge?

As a walking tour guide for 15 years, Jonnie Fielding has made it his mission to uncover all there is to know about London, from forgotten facts to the history hiding in plain sight.

Packed full of pub-quiz trivia and bespoke illustrations, Why Is Downing Street Painted Black? includes 365 of his favourite quirks, anomalies and eccentricities from all over town.

So whether you live in London, would love to live in London or just love a great fun fact, Jonnie is guaranteed to reignite your fascination with this weird and wonderful city.

Why Is Downing Street Painted Black?: And 364 Other Fun London Facts, By Jonnie Fielding, Read by Jonnie Fielding

From a certified somatic life coach, a feminist guide to reclaiming your self-worth and having healthier relationships—perfect for readers of Burnout and The Body Is Not an Apology. 

Do you say “yes” when you mean “no”? Do you end up in lopsided relationships, feeling resentful but not sure how to speak up? Do you feel anxious, struggle with perfectionism and imposter syndrome, or feel like you’ve lost touch with your true self? You’re not alone: Thousands of people, especially those of us socialized as women, struggle with Emotional Outsourcing—a term nurse practitioner and life coach María Victoria Albina coined to describe the codependent habits that keep us stuck.      

In End Emotional Outsourcing, Albina explores the origins—both personal and systemic—of these tendencies, and coaches readers through a science-backed program of thought work and somatic practices. Readers will learn to: 

   ·Regulate their nervous systems
   ·Reframe their habitual thoughts and actions
   ·Take back their time and energy
   ·Improve relationships with parents, friends, and partners
   ·Discover their inherent self-worth and lovability

Groundbreaking, healing, and urgent, End Emotional Outsourcing is poised to change the conversation about codependency, and help an entire generation of women step into their power.  

End Emotional Outsourcing by and read by Beatriz Victoria Albina, NP, MPH

The Sovereign brings princess Luca and soldier Touraine together one last time in the thrilling conclusion to C. L. Clark’s beloved queer political fantasy trilogy. 

Luca is the new queen of Balladaire. Her empire is already splintering in her hands. Her uncle wasn’t the only traitor in the court, and the Withering plague will decimate her people if she can’t unearth Balladaire’s magic. The only person who can help her wants the only thing Luca won’t give—the end of the monarchy. 

Touraine is Luca’s general. She has everything she ever wanted. While Luca looks within Balladaire’s borders, Touraine looks outward—the alliance with Qazal is brittle and Balladaire’s neighbors are ready to pounce on its new weakness. When the army comes, led by none other than Touraine’s old lover, Touraine must face the truth about herself—and the empire she once called home. 

A storm is coming. Touraine and Luca will stand against it together, or it will tear them apart once and for all.

Magic of the Lost
The Unbroken
The Faithless
The Sovereign 

The Sovereign by C. L. Clark read by Rasha Zamamiri

Fall in love with this heartfelt holiday romance between a down-on-his-luck Christmas tree farmer and a woman with plans to bring the merriment back to their town.

For single father Granger Fields, Christmas is his busiest and most profitable time of the year. But when a fire devastates the Merry Mountain Tree Farm, he fears the season won’t be holly or jolly unless he can convince free spirit Joy Benson to care for his two rambunctious daughters. Yet while Granger wants to focus on saving his business, Joy seems determined to shake up his family’s Christmas with her festive ideas and merry making.

Joy is counting down the days until she can open her own art gallery. Babysitting Abby and Willow will help her reach her goal, and when inspiration strikes, Joy convinces Granger that her craft classes can bring even more holiday cheer to the farm. As crowds return and Joy’s creative side flourishes, life with Granger and his girls begins to feel like home. But with Christmas coming nearer, can Joy convince Granger to open his heart again? Or will their newfound happiness be as fleeting as the newly fallen snow?

Season of Joy by Annie Rains read by Ann Richardson

From lifestyle trailblazer and author of The Afrominimalist’s Guide To Living with Less, a practical guide to move beyond decluttering your space and, instead, declutter your life.Less Is Liberation welcomes those who are tired and weary to embark upon a journey of self-discovery. This is an invitation to understand the interconnectedness of overwhelm and our overall wellbeing.

     For years, the constant pursuit of success silently wreaked havoc on Christine Platt’s happiness and health. While taking a personal pause, Christine discovered how her limiting beliefs about selfishness led to self-abandonment and a life of overwhelm. So, she decided to use the same intentional living strategy that helped her reduce overconsumption: choose less.

     With the perfect balance of wit and wisdom, Christine shares the necessities to come into alignment with Self and offers a roadmap for anyone ready to do the same. Less Is Liberation is more than a self-help guide, it is a call-to-action to tap into our most underutilized superpower: being intentional with our choices. 
We do not have to have so many things—we can choose less.
We do not have to have so many obligations—we can choose less.
We do not have to have so many priorities—we can choose less.
We do not have to have so many relationships that feel transactional—we can choose less.
 We must simply learn how to be intentional about honoring ourselves.

 Less Is Liberation is an invitation to pause and begin the beautiful work of choosing ourselves over the profit and pleasure of others. It invites us to let go of behaviors that hinder our growth. It is time to embrace less as a gateway to find freedom from our lives of overwhelm, and a pathway to the life we want and deserve. Because we are not here for a life of doing. We are here for a life of being. 

Less Is Liberation by and read by Christine Platt

From snake-oil salesmen to crypto grifters, the “fascinating” (Fareed Zakaria) story of charlatans—and why we fall for them

For centuries charlatans have been bamboozling victims. But today, charlatanry is more lucrative and global than ever. Using the power of digital technology, our age’s charlatans have spun a worldwide web of exploitation on an unprecedented scale.

In Charlatans, global affairs experts Moisés Naím and Quico Toro investigate how charlatans fool us and why they’ve become so influential today. They argue that modern charlatans exploit the same weak points in human cognition as the snake-oil salesmen of the old West. They earn our trust, trick us into believing they have some special skill or knowledge, then exploit us. In some ways, nothing has changed. But, today, charlatans are digital, viral, and global. Whether they’re health gurus pushing pseudoscience or crypto bros orchestrating Ponzi schemes, modern charlatans rapidly amass worldwide audiences on the internet and social media using a common set of strategies. These hucksters swiftly swindle unsuspecting victims, as our slow-moving institutions struggle to respond.  
 
Packed with insights on how to avoid being duped by charlatans, this is an eye-opening journey through the brazen deception and brutal victimization at the heart of this new global scourge. 

Charlatans by Moises Naim and Quico Toro read by Fajer Al-Kaisi

From a bestselling author and pastor, a straight-talk, no-nonsense guide to becoming the man God calls you to be.   

We’ve all seen the headlines. Masculinity is in crisis. Men are lost. What’s the matter with men? We are confused about what masculinity is and what roles men play in our culture.

Manhood, says Joby Martin, is harder than ever because we have forgotten what true masculinity looks like. Real, Biblical manhood is not about driving big trucks, having the biggest guns, or hunting the biggest buck. (Though he’s a big fan of all of those, truth be told.) True men of God surrender themselves before the cross, serve and lead their families, put on the full armor of God, and stand guard against the lies that threaten to tear our churches and our culture apart.  

In this book, Pastor Joby walks through what the Bible means when it says, ‘be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong, and let all that you do be done in love’ (1 Corinthians 16:13). He guides readers through what scripture says about who men are, how they should act, and what it means to be a man in today’s culture, and he asks tough questions about how God calls men to respond.

Stand Firm and Act Like Men is a call for men to rediscover Biblical manhood in their churches and cities, and to love, serve, and support their families and one another.

Stand Firm and Act Like Men by Joby Martin with Charles Martin read by Joby Martin

Dr. Heather Hirsch, renowned founder of the Menopause Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and featured expert on Oprah Winfrey’s The Life You Want series, offers a groundbreaking, expert-led guide to not only navigate—but truly thrive—through perimenopause.

Perimenopause, the transitional phase before menopause, can feel like one of the most disorienting and unspoken chapters in a woman’s life. From hot flashes and brain fog to anxiety, back pain, and sleep disruption, the symptoms are real, but the guidance often isn’t. Too many women between the ages of 35 and 50 find themselves confused, dismissed, or unsupported by their providers.

The Perimenopause Survival Guide is a clear, compassionate, and evidence-based resource from one of the most trusted voices in women’s hormonal health. Dr. Heather Hirsch draws on her years of clinical experience to help women understand what’s happening in their bodies, and how to take charge of their care.
In this essential guide, you’ll learn: 
What’s really driving your symptoms and how to decode them
Proven, FDA-approved treatment options—plus how to evaluate what’s right for you
The importance of managing perimenopause now for long-term health
How to advocate for yourself and build a care plan around your individual needs and goals
Whether you’re just starting to notice subtle changes or already deep in the hormonal rollercoaster, The Perimenopause Survival Guide empowers you with clarity, confidence, and the tools to feel like yourself again. 

The Perimenopause Survival Guide by and read by Heather Hirsch

In the gripping conclusion to the Warring Gods duology, two women find themselves caught in an ancient feud between ruthless entities, and embark on an epic quest for power and liberation.
 
Reina is full of hope.
 
At long last, Reina has the peace she’s been searching for on the idyllic islands of Tierra’e Sol with the lover she’s always wanted and in service to the god of the sun. But she can’t quite trust how long this will last. When monstrous creatures of the Void appear on the isle’s shores, she is certain she knows who is behind the attacks. Reina will stop at nothing to protect the woman she loves, but it could cost her everything she’s fought so hard for.
 
Eva is cherished.
 
Finally reunited with her father, the Liberator, Eva struggles to prove herself worthy of being his heir while keeping secret her alliance with the god of the Void. As destruction, both human and magical, tears across the lands, Eva is thrust into a power struggle she’s ill-prepared for. Confronted with the limits of her own ambition, Eva must fight to save herself from the powerful corruption of the Void before she loses the family she holds dear.
 
The warring gods are returning and the only thing between them and absolute power are two young women. But for the first time in their lives, Reina and Eva have something to fight for. And they won’t back down.

The River and the Star by Gabriela Romero Lacruz read by Natalia Castellanos

An award-winning designer and former Design Lead at the iconic innovation firm IDEO teaches how to use small, creative risks to build trust, inspire connection, and supercharge employee engagement.

In a world where safety easily becomes stagnation and risk is seen as a threat, Ben Swire’s counterintuitive book, Safe Danger, offers a refreshing perspective on how playful creativity can balance those two forces to unlock personal and professional growth.

Ask people what they want from life and you’ll hear: inspiring experiences, exciting work, meaningful relationships, and making a difference. But ask how they’re doing on that wish list, and you’ll likely find it’s still just that: a wish list. That’s because those things require intimidating risks like vulnerability, disappointment, and trust. As a result, we end up with a chasm between what we want and what we’re willing to do to get it. In Safe Danger, Ben Swire has developed a suite of creative activities that combine safety and risk to spur emotional growth.

Drawing on the latest research and years of experience, this entertaining book explains how and why his playful approach is so effective at helping people manage fear and make change. Swire delves into seven powerful qualities that the Safe Danger method can unlock to help people bring out the best in themselves and their teams: joy, vulnerability, curiosity, optimism, connection, trust, and creativity. Full of practical activities and inspiring insights, Safe Danger is for business professionals and creative types—especially those who feel stuck or dissatisfied with their company’s work culture or career trajectory.

Whether you’re a leader looking to engage your team, a professional seeking to infuse your career with new life, or an individual striving to get more out of your time on earth, Safe Danger offers the tools and insights you’ve been missing. Discover how to embrace the unexpected, fuel your creativity, and inspire those around you with the transformative power of “Safe Danger.”

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