Life is Sacred. You are alive; you are a sacred being. Connect with that sacredness. Look for it in every beating heart, in every form life touches. Let your self shine in the light that is the illumined cosmos. Be alive in the sacred, and let the sacred live through you. How we live as human beings is intrinsic to how we develop spiritually. We are each intimately connected to the web of life that is the living Earth, and our spirituality both enriches and is enriched by these relations -- through compassionate understanding of the myriad forms of existence we develop greater awareness of the presence of the divine, the Mystery that is the source of all creation. COMPASS OF THE HEART is a companion for those seeking integration of body and spirit, of Self and Source. Arranged in the form of a medicine wheel, COMPASS OF THE HEART offers insights and suggestions based on Loren Cruden`s lifetime of work with Native American and other Earth-oriented traditions. The teachings of the six directions -- East, South, West, North, Earth, and Sky -- are used to illustrate daily practices that deepen one`s relationship with the Earth until spiritual enlightenment becomes not an occasional occurrence but a way of life itself. These practices can include almost any actions thoughtfully made: meditation, working with chakras, teaching children, garden- ing, even smiling at strangers. The type of path does not matter so long as one continues the journey of openhearted participation in life, guided by the compass of the heart. Loren Cruden, a midwife and herbal healer, worked for many years with a Potawatomie medicine man to develop her spiritual practice. She now leads shamanic workshops and sweatlodges in the Pacific Northwest. She is the author of THE SPIRIT OF PLACE, COYOTE`S COUNCIL FIRE, and THE LIVING EARTH TAROT DECK.