Mind, body, spirit: meditation and visualization Books

Book SynopsisBuild a strong foundation for health, longevity, and spiritual enlightenment with the ancient art of Qìgōng Embryonic Breathing (Internal Elixir). Chinese Qìgōng can be categorized into External Elixir (Wai Dan) and Internal Elixir (Nei Dan). To reach the goals of longevity and spiritual enlightenment, the practitioner must learn Internal Elixir Qìgōng. The first step, and the focus of this book, is to understand the theory and the method of Embryonic Breathing. Practicing this breathing technique will help you Optimize your central energy system Conserve your energy Store this energy at abundant levels Using ancient Buddhist and Daoist documents, Dr. Yáng analyzes and discusses meditation theory and training methods in a modern and scientific manner. This double-edged approach will enable you to quickly achieve a high level of understanding. It is well acknowledged that without a proper foundation, the root of spiritual enlightenment will not be established and the meditative practice of Qìgōng for spiritual enlightenment, may be in vain. Qìgōng Embryonic Breathing is organized into three parts Foundations: General Qìgōng concepts and meditation theory Translations and commentary of ancient documents related to Embryonic Breathing The practice of Embryonic Breathing meditation The necessary second and third steps are to practice Qìgōng Small Circulation and Qìgōng Grand Circulation. This second edition includes pinyin tonal marks for pronunciation, modern Chinese fonts, and illustration enhancements.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Dedication About the Author Foreword Preface PART I FOUNDATIONS Chapter 1 General Concepts 1.1 Introduction 1.2 General Qigong Concepts 1.3 The Network of Qi Vessels and Channels 1.4 Buddhist and Daoist Qigong Concepts 1.5 Four Refinements 1.6 Five Regulatings 1.7 Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Qigong 1.8 Small Circulation, Grand Circulation, and Enlightenment Meditation 1.9 Definition of Embryonic Breathing 1.10 Embryonic Breathing and Cultivation of the Dao 1.11 About This Book Chapter 2 Theoretical Foundation of Embryonic Breathing 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Human Qigong Science 2.3 Theoretical Foundations of Embryonic Breathing 2.4 Meanings and Purposes of Meditation PART II TRANSLATIONS AND COMMENTARIES OF ANCIENT DOCUMENTS RELATED TO EMBRYONIC BREATHING Chapter 3 Translations and Commentaries of Ancient Documents 3.1 Introduction 3.2 General Concepts 3.3 About the Dan Tian 3.4 Regulating the Breathing 3.5 Regulating the Mind 3.6 Regulating the Spirit 3.7 Methods of Embryonic Breathing 3.8 Other Related Documents Chapter 4 Summaries from Ancient Documents 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Summaries of Important Points PART III PRACTICE OF EMBRYONIC BREATHING Chapter 5 Practice of Embryonic Breathing 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Preparation for Embryonic Breathing 5.3 Practice of Embryonic Breathing 5.4 Recovery from the Meditative State Chapter 6 Conclusion Appendix A: Translation and Glossary of Chinese Terms Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisQìgōng Small Circulation meditation has been known for centuries to not only promote health and longevity but also to open a path toward spiritual enlightenment. Small Circulation meditation is the practice of circulating energy within the human body through the two main pathways, the Conception, and the Governing vessels. This practice is considered a foundation of Internal Elixir Qìgōng and was a fundamental step of meditation training in ancient times. Practicing Small Circulation meditation will help you to Regulate the Qì circulating in your twelve primary Qì channels Make Qì abundant throughout your entire body Building upon a foundation of Embryonic Breathing practice, Small Circulation is the second stage of meditation training for health, longevity, and spiritual enlightenment through meditation. The third step is to practice Qìgōng Grand Circulation. Dr. Yáng presents translation and analysis of many ancient Buddhist and Daoist documents and offers modern scientific explanations for learning and training safely. This double-edged approach will enable you to quickly achieve a high level of understanding. Qìgōng Small Circulation is organized into three parts Foundations: General Qìgōng concepts and meditation theory Meditation training procedures: Four refinements and five regulatings The practice of Small Circulation meditation This second edition includes pinyin tonal marks for pronunciation, modern Chinese fonts, and illustration enhancements.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Dedication About the Author Foreword Preface PART I. FOUNDATIONS Chapter 1. General Concepts Introduction 1-2. What is Qi and What is Qigong? 1-3. Categories of Qigong 1-4. Theory of Yin and Yang, Kan and Li 1-5. Qigong and Health 1-6. Qigong and Longevity 1-7. Qigong and Spiritual Enlightenment 1-8. Buddhist and Daoist Qigong Concepts 1-9. Importance of Qigong Study to the Human Race 1-10. About this Book Chapter 2. Theoretical Foundations 2-1. Introduction 2-2. Qi Vessels and Channels 2-3. Human Qigong Science 2-4. Meaning and Purpose of Meditation 2-5. Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Qigong 2-6. What is Small Circulation? 2-7. What is Grand Circulation? 2-8. What is Enlightenment Meditation? PART II. MEDITATION TRAINING PROCEDURES Chapter 3. Four Refinements 3-1. Introduction 3-2. Refine the Essence and Convert It into Qi 3-3. Purify Qi and Convert It into Spirit 3-4. Refine Spirit and Return It to Nothingness 3-5. Crush the Nothingness Chapter 4. Five Regulatings 4-1. Introduction 4-2. Regulating the Body (Tiao Shen) 4-3. Regulating the Breathing (Tiao Xi) 4-4. Regulating the Mind (Tiao Xin) 4-5. Regulating the Qi (Tiao Qi) 4-6. Regulating the Spirit (Tiao Shen) PART III. SMALL CIRCULATION MEDITATION Chapter 5. Theoretical Root of Small Circulation Meditation 5-1. Introduction 5-2. Small Circulation—Past and Present 5-3. Small Circulation and Qi Network 5-4. Theory of Small Circulation Meditation 5-5. Three Gates 5-6. Different Paths of Small Circulation 5-7. Tang Dynasty Internal Elixir Meditation Illustration Chapter 6. Embryonic Breathing 6-1. Introduction 6-2. Theory of Embryonic Breathing 6-3. Method of Embryonic Breathing Chapter 7. Important Points in Meditation 7-1. Introduction 7-2. Preparations 7-3. Meditation Place 7-4. Best time for Meditation 7-5. Meditation Orientation 7-6. Common Experiences for Qigong Beginners 7-7. Common Sensations in Still Meditation 7-8. Deviations and Corrections 7-9. Twenty-Four Rules for Qigong Practice Chapter 8. Small Circulation Meditation Practice 8-1. Introduction 8-2. Regulating the Body 8-3. Regulating the Breathing 8-4. Regulating the Emotional Mind 8-5. Regulating the Qi 8-6. Regulating the Spirit 8-7. Regulating the Essence 8-8. Recovery from the Meditative State 8-9. Meditation and Healing PART IV. QUESTIONS AND POSSIBLE HUMAN FUTURE Chapter 9. Questions and Possible Human Future Chapter 10. Conclusion Appendix A. Translation and Glossary of Chinese Terms Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis“In this beautiful, inspiring, and practical book we are invited to look deeply at the landscape around us and create sacred respites from our busy worlds.” —Rosemary Gladstar, herbalist and author We all need a personal sanctuary. A place where we can be in harmony with the natural world and nurture our bodies, minds, and souls. And this sanctuary doesn’t have to be a far-away destination—it can be in your own backyard. In Creating Sanctuary, natural living expert Jessi Bloom taps into multiple sources of traditional plant wisdom to help you find a deeper connection to the outdoor space you already have—no matter the size. You will learn how to design a healing space, how to harness the power of 50 sacred plants, and how to create recipes and rituals that soothe and calm. Hands-on, inspiring, and packed with gorgeous photography, Creating Sanctuary will help you find new ways to revitalize your life.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisViolet Flame: Alchemy for Personal Change unlocks the mysteries of the violet flame, a high-frequency light that you can use to change your life and the world around you. Experienced by mystics and known to spiritual teachers East and West, the violet flame dissolves negative energy and restores it to positive energy.Chapter by chapter, you''ll explore exactly how the violet flame works and learn practical techniques for using it to free the unlimited power that exists within you right now to resolve everyday problems. Includes techniques of visualization along with mantras, prayers, and affirmations to call forth the energy of the violet flame to transform every aspect of your life.

Read more less

Book SynopsisChakras play a key role in how your body, mind and emotions function. Living a better life starts with charging your aura with spiritual light and getting your chakras activated to improve your outlook, sense of well-being and energy.HOW TO WORK WITH YOUR CHAKRAS explains how your chakras are like transformers for spiritual energy. You can consciously use them to emit high-frequency energies to heal yourself and bless those around you.Learn to powerfully energize your aura and chakras. Meditate on beautiful visualizations of your chakras when they are vibrating at their highest frequency. Utilize the full power of the science of the spoken Word to accelerate your spiritual path.Learn how to live life to its fullest!

Read more less

Book SynopsisA guidebook on how to embody compassionate awareness in all of our relationships—with self, one another, and our planet—in an age of global uncertainty. We all struggle at times with how to bring meditation off the cushion and into the beautiful, dynamic, and messy realm of relationship. At a time when humanity seems to have forgotten our inherent interrelatedness, this book offers an inspiring set of principles and practices for deepening intimacy and remembering the interconnection that is our birthright. Eden Tull interweaves heartfelt personal stories, sharing her journey from seven years as a monastic in a silent Zen Monastery to living and teaching in the megatropolis of Los Angeles and beyond, with teachings and mindful inquiry to help the reader connect personally with the principles of Relational Mindfulness. In a voice that is transparent, vulnerable, and brave, Tull shares possibilities for integrating mindfulness In gentle yet powerful tone, she covers topics ranging from balance and personal sustainability to sexuality to conscious consumerism. Relational Mindfulness is based on the simple understanding that the most subtle form of love is attention. While a revolution usually means to evolve and change, this shift is actually a return to a simple and sacred understanding we seem to have forgotten—one we can only remember when we are present.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fourth volume of the Dalai Lama’s definitive Library of Wisdom and Compassion series, now in paperback.Delve into the substance of spiritual practice in Following in the Buddha''s Footsteps, the fourth volume in the Dalai Lama''s definitive series on the path to awakening. His Holiness discusses the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, why they are reliable guides on the path, and how to relate to them. He then describes the three essential higher trainings in ethical conduct, concentration, and wisdom that are common to all Buddhist traditions, showing us how to live a life free of harm to self or others and how to develop single-pointed concentration and the higher states of concentration available to earnest practitioners. The chapters on wisdom are in-depth teachings on the noble eightfold path and the four establishments of mindfulness for developing greater awareness and understanding of our body, feelings, mind, and other phenomena. Together these topics form the core of Buddhist practice. This is a book to treasure and refer to repeatedly as you begin the path, progress on it, and approach the final goal of nirvana.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrain your mind for tranquility and focus with this fresh, secular guide to mindfulness using the Buddha's original teachings.Eric Harrison is not a Buddhist - nor is he even religious. But his lifelong mindfulness practice is rooted in the Satipatthana Sutta - the Buddha's original text on how to meditate. Harrison realized that the clearly defined steps in the sutta, even without their spiritual context, amount to a brain-training program anyone can follow. As the Buddha puts it: "The systematic four-stage training of attention is the only way to Enlightenment."Now - informed by a lifetime spent teaching tens of thousands to meditate - Harrison offers an updated, modern English translation of the sutta and lucid guidance on how to apply it. This accessible work is for anyone interested in their mind, body, and life overall - no background in Buddhism required.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the author of Breathe, Mama, Breathe (70,000 copies in print), the antidote to pandemic-related overwhelm: an urgently needed resource for women who are stressed by work, overwhelmed by life, and about to burn out. It’s a familiar feeling for so many women: Life is one big to-do list. And whatever’s on there — kids, career, personal life, or just staying afloat — didn’t get any easier in the pandemic. With stress and anxiety at peak levels of ack!, psychotherapist Shonda Moralis steps in to offer relief. Don’t Forget to Breathe marries “been there, I hear you” advice with 60 ingenious evidence-based “mindful breaks” women can use to re-center without missing a beat: while getting dressed, waiting at the checkout, or reaching for the phone. Shonda sees mindfulness not as tuning out but tuning in — and it’s there for you whenever you need it! Her short meditations are designed to help: Breathe to promote calmness and awareness. Be yourself and build confidence. Reach for success by setting — and conquering — realistic goals. Don’t Forget to Breathe is a timely reminder of that big, overlooked to-do: Take care of yourself!

Read more less

Book SynopsisContaining 40 coloring illustrations, the book includes chakra imagery, power yantras, planets, and scenes of Hindu gods and goddesses, such as Ganesh, Hanuman, Shiva, and Parvati. Coloring the chakras enables you to visualize the energy centers in your own body, enhancing your ability to open the chakras and balance your flow of energy. Coloring the power yantras allows you to align your mind and spirit with the energies of good health, tolerance, prosperity, peace, and love, attracting these virtues to your life. Coloring the planets, gods, and goddesses allows you to connect with these powerful entities, inviting their help and influence in your life.

Read more less

Book Synopsis Drawing on the imagery from her popular Sacred Geometry Oracle Deck and Sacred Geometry Cards for the Visionary Path, this coloring book contains 45 illustrations of Hart’s renowned Sacred Geometry paintings and drawings. Each piece is accompanied by a brief yet insightful commentary explaining the meaning behind the symbols and animals shown and offering inspiration to open your awareness to how these shapes influence our reality and tune your energies. From dolphins and dragonflies, the elements and celestial bodies, to the power of the torus, labyrinths, and the Flower of Life, this coloring book will lead you on a contemplative journey into the interconnected realms of Sacred Geometry, Nature, and Spirit while supporting your sense of wholeness and joy.Trade Review"Powerful and compelling images for personal divination. Hart has created very good medicine indeed." * Hank Wesselman, author of Spirit Medicine and the Spiritwalker Trilogy *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisCan you give too much love? Lightworkers are sensitive and highly empathic souls who have an innate need to help and heal others. These peaceful supporters of humanity are here to make positive changes and create personal, balanced and loving human connections. But many Lightworkers become so caught up in their divine mission to heal that they sometimes overlook the importance of receiving love. Do you find yourself always loving generously and rarely feeling valued? Do you feel you''re always responding to the needs of others? Because of this inner calling to heal, many Lightworkers find themselves in situations that create an endless cycle of sorrow in their own relationships. Eventually these beautiful souls close off their channel to receive love altogether. LIGHTWORKER RELATIONSHIPS will help you understand how to:Balance the human and spiritual experience.Create healthy boundaries in relationships.Learn to receive love and why it''s essential.Recognise when you are closing off your own love source.Live your divine mission, but, also, receive the joy and happiness of healthy human connections.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis“Every thought I think is creating my future.” So begin the 52 affirmations of Ani Trime, a beloved teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition who began her own life as a gruff, plainspoken West Virginian. Noted for her sense of humor and her no-nonsense style of spiritual practice, Trime believed that anyone could learn to loosen the grip of negative thoughts by cultivating more healing, helpful ways of thinking in the garden of the mind. This practical approach to fostering peace and positivity is at the heart of these accessible, enlightening, and uplifting affirmations — one for each week of the year — that will resonate with everyone. Collected in an appealing, pocket-size volume, Ani Trime’s Little Book of Affirmations features original illustrated interpretations of each affirmative expression from 39 well-known contemporary commercial artists.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWho said meditation has to be so serious? Yogi Bryan has spent years honing his craft and cutting the crap in order to make meditation accessible for everyone, even when you think you don’t have the time or patience to meditate. Whether you can’t sit still or can’t stop your mind from wandering, Yogi Bryan will help you achieve mental clarity so you can manifest your wildest dreams. In as little as five minutes a day, you can establish a practice that not only relieves stress and calms anxiety, but has also proven to boost your physical health as well. Once you have the basics down, you can discover the power of breath patterns, postures, affirmations, mantras and more to unlock your self-confidence and higher calling. With the support of Yogi Bryan, meditation has never been more approachable or easier to work into your daily routine. If you’ve ever felt like meditation just wasn’t for you - or if you’ve always wanted to try it, but have been too intimidated - then buckle up, buttercup. Your journey starts here.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSaints, spiritual warriors, bodhisattvas, zaddikim - no matter how they are named in a given tradition, they all share a profound altruistic wish to free others from suffering. Saints are not beings of stained glass or carved stone. “Each of us can be a new saint,” says Lama Rod Owens. “In our pain, our trauma, and all our complexity, we all can - and must - awaken the virtue of our compassion for the benefit of our communities, our planet, and our own souls.” With The New Saints, Lama Rod shares a guidebook for becoming an effective agent of justice, peace, and change. Combining personal stories, spiritual teachings, and instructions for contemplative and somatic practices, he shares inspiring resources for self-exploration and wise action. Each chapter reinforces the truth of our interdependency - allowing us to be of service to the collective well-being, and to call on the support and strength of the countless souls who share our struggles and hopes. The status quo of our society is crumbling, and rightly so. But what future will emerge to replace it? Lama Rod says that the difference will be decided by us, if we have the willingness to let our hearts break open, disrupt systems of violence, and let goodness guide our actions instead of fear and hate. Here is a guide to become a warrior of kindness - a human refreshed, serving a vision of a world shaped by love.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSavor what’s truly important in life with this pocket-sized collection of meditations and wisdom.Whether you’re feeling truly blessed or struggling to find a little more joy in life, this gorgeous and inspirational book is there for you with over 150 quotes, inspirations, and contemplations on the topic of gratitude from writers and speakers ranging from the Buddha to Toni Morrison to Oscar Wilde. This mini book is a lovely inspiration to stop and savor each moment, for those who want to foster deep reflection as well as for those who simply want a little something to be grateful for in their everyday lives.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I used to believe that poetry did not speak to me, but I now see how wrong I was. I lived for 44 years with a husband, a lyricist, whose beautifully crafted, heartfelt lyrics touched my every fiber and continue to uplift and inspire me a decade after his death. The special beauty of Dr. Rosenthal's book for me is his discussion of what each poem is saying, what the poet was likely feeling and often how the poems helped him personally, as when he left his birth family in South Africa for a rewarding career in the United States.' - Jane Brody, Author & New York Times ColumnistPoetry to Heal, Inspire and EnjoyPoetry Rx presents 50 great poems as seen through the eyes of a renowned psychiatrist and New York Times bestseller. In this book, you will find insights into love, sorrow, ecstasy and everything in between: Love in the moment or for a lifetime; love that is fulfilling or addictive; when to break up and how to survive when someone breaks up with you.Separate sections deal with responses to the natural world, and the varieties of human experience (such as hope, reconciliation, leaving home, faith, self-actualization, trauma, anger, and the thrill of discovery). Other sections involve finding your way in the world and the search for meaning, as well as the final stages of life.In describing this multitude of human experiences, using vignettes from his work and life, Rosenthal serves as a comforting guide to these poetic works of genius. Through his writing, the workings of the mind, as depicted by these gifted writers speak to us as intimately as our closest friends.Rosenthal also delves into the science of mind and brain. Who would have thought, for example, that listening to poetry can cause people to have goosebumps by activating the reward centers of the brain? Yet research shows that to be true.And who were these fascinating poets? In a short biosketch that accompanies each poem, Rosenthal draws connections between the poets and their poems that help us understand the enigmatic minds that gave birth to these masterworks. Altogether, a fulfilling and intriguing must-read for anyone interested in poetry, the mind, self-help and genius.CONTENTSIntroductionPART ONELoving and LosingChapter OneIs There an Art to Losing?One Art by Elizabeth BishopChapter TwoCan Love Transform You?How do I love thee? Let me count the ways by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningChapter ThreeThe Heart versus the MindPity me not because the light of dayby Edna St. Vincent MillayChapter FourLove in the MomentLullaby by W. H. AudenChapter FiveWhen Love FadesFailing and Flyingby Jack GilbertChapter SixGetting Over a Breakup I: AcceptanceWhy so pale and wan fond lover?by Sir John SucklingChapter SevenGetting Over a Breakup II: Reclaiming YourselfLove after Love by Derek Walcott,Chapter EightDeclaring Your LoveSonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? by William ShakespeareChapter NineConsoled by LoveSonnet 29: When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes by William ShakespeareChapter TenIn Praise of the Marriage of True MindsSonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds by William ShakespeareChapter ElevenLoss of a Loved OneStop all the clocks, cut off the telephone (Funeral Blues) by W. H. AudenChapter TwelveWill I Ever Feel Better? Time Does Not Bring Relief by Edna St. Vincent MillayChapter ThirteenLove RememberedWhen You Are Old by William Butler YeatsChapter FourteenLove after DeathRemember by Christina Rossetti,PART TWO That Inward EyeChapter FifteenTranscendence in NatureDaffodils by William WordsworthChapter SixteenThe Memory of DaffodilsMiracle on St. David's Day by Gillian ClarkeChapter SeventeenTranscendence in Body and MindLines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey (excerpt) by William WordsworthChapter EighteenThe Power of Dark and LightThere's a certain Slant of light by Emily DickinsonChapter NineteenIn Praise of DiversityPied Beauty by Gerard Manley HopkinsChapter TwentyA Plea to Save the Natural WorldInversnaid by Gerard Manley HopkinsChapter Twenty-OneThe Importance of Being NeededStopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert FrostChapter Twenty-TwoThe Choices We MakeThe Road Not Takenby Robert Frost Chapter Twenty-ThreeThe Force of LongingSea Feverby John MasefieldChapter Twenty-FourFinding Hope in NatureThe Darkling Thrush by Thomas HardyPART THREEThe Human ExperienceChapter Twenty-Five The Power of Hope Hope is the thing with feathers by Emily DickinsonChapter Twenty-SixWelcoming Your EmotionsThe Guest House by Jalaluddin Rumi Translated by Coleman Barks Chapter Twenty-SevenThe Healing Power of ReconciliationOut beyond Ideas by Jalaluddin Rumi (Translated by Coleman Barks) Chapter Twenty-EightLeaving HomeTraveler, there is no road by Antonio Machado Translated by Mary G. Berg and Dennis MaloneyChapter Twenty-NineAnd Those You Leave BehindLetter to My Mother by Salvatore Quasimodo Translated by Jack BevanChapter ThirtyThe Importance of Self-ActualizationOn His Blindness by John MiltonChapter Thirty-OneThe Power of FaithPsalm 23A Psalm of DavidChapter Thirty-TwoThe Thrill of DiscoveryOn First Looking into Chapman's Homer by John KeatsChapter Thirty-ThreeThe Enduring Thrill of the MomentHigh Flight by John Gillespie Magee JrChapter Thirty-FourThe Long Reach of TraumaThe Sentence by Anna Akhmatova Translated by Judith HemschemeyerChapter Thirty-FiveThe Danger of AngerA Poison Tree by William BlakePART FOURA Design for Living and the Search for MeaningChapter Thirty-SixPrinciples for a Good LifePolonius' Advice to Laertesby William ShakespeareChapter Thirty-SevenRemaining Steady through Life's Ups and DownsIf by Rudyard KiplingChapter Thirty-EightNever Give UpInvictus by William Ernest HenleyChapter Thirty-NinePutting One Foot in Front of the OtherThe Waking by Theodore RoethkeChapter FortyShould You React or Proact? Waiting for the Barbariansby Constantine CavafyTranslated by Edmund Keeley and Philip SherrardChapter Forty-OneIt's the Journey That MattersIthaka by Constantine Cavafy Translated by Edmund KeeleyChapter Forty-TwoHold On to Your DreamsDreams by Langston HughesPART FIVEInto the NightChapter Forty-ThreeShould You Just Go for It?An Irish Airman Foresees His Death by William Butler YeatsChapter Forty-FourOr Should You Be Careful? Musée des Beaux Arts by W. H. AudenChapter Forty-FiveDying Too SoonWe Real Cool by Gwendolyn BrooksChapter Forty-SixAging by DegreesI Know I Am Getting Old by Wendell BerryChapter Forty-SevenThe Critical Importance of CommunicationNot Waving but Drowning by Stevie SmithChapter Forty-EightShould You Rage? Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan ThomasChapter Forty-NineOr Is it Time to Go Gently? Because I could not stop for Death by Emily DickinsonChapter FiftyI Did Not Die!Do not stand at my grave and weep by Mary Elizabeth FryeA Few Last ThoughtsSource Materials and Further ReadingPermissionsAcknowledgmentsIndexAbout the AuthorINTRODUCTIONYou may well wonder how I, a psychiatrist with no formal literary credentials, have chosen to write about the power of poetry to heal, inspire, and bring joy to people. It all started with a single phone call that came in late one night. The caller was my friend David, and I knew immediately by the tone of his voice that something was wrong. He choked up as he told me that he had recently lost someone very dear to him. How can I go on? he mused. How will I manage? Clichés and generalities readily come to mind in such situations, but I searched for something specific to say, something that might actually help. Recognizing that David is a person steeped in the arts, I said, There is an art to losing, and like all art, it can be developed. He was silent for a while, and when he spoke again, his voice sounded more cheerful, as though he had tapped into some hidden source of hope. . Do you know the poem One Art' by Elizabeth Bishop? he asked. I told him no. Well, let me read it to you, and he began: The art of losing isn't hard to master.' As he read on, his voice gathered strength and energy with each stanza. Afterwards his mood was lighterand strangely, so was mine. . Can a poem really help a grieving person? I wondered, and if so, might other poems also have healing powers? I marveled also at how David had reached into the depths of his grief and presented me with a gifta poem that offered me a fresh perspective on how to help someone out of the darkness that can engulf you when you lose someone you love. I shared the poem with patients and friends, many of whom found comfort in its words, and looked for o

Read more less

Book SynopsisA magical book featuring Tanja B. Linde's illustrations, InMy Nature will help you realize your own potential by unearthing your connection to the natural world. Having lived nomadically for the past decade, Tanja has found ways to make the most out of every experience. She believes that if we choose to listen to our higher nature and live life on our own terms, we can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Divided into three sections – Venture Inward, Go Explore and Seek Discomfort – In My Nature guides your journey on a free-spirited path. Throughout the book you will be offered up inspiration and ideas for activities that let you reconnect with nature, which are bound to enrich your body, soul and spirit. Find encouragement to go beyond your limits, set intentions and venture out into a world full of adventure. Know what it means to be in your element and live a life that is both meaningful and endlessly exciting.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Astrology of You is a guide to understanding your birth chart, helping you to decode the messages that were in the stars from the moment of your birth. It’s a self-help book, rooted in astrology, that demystifies the birth chart and helps you understand yourself on a whole new level. Written by astrologer and meditation teacher Emma Vidgen, The Astrology of You takes a unique approach to helping you achieve success and happiness. You will discover your optimum setting for satisfying relationships, emotional security and creative fulfilment, and learn where to look for guidance when something goes wrong. The birth chart is a personalised instruction manual for life, and The Astrology of You will teach you how to make sense of yours.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCreativity: Your Daily Gift is a guide to exploring your own creativity and communing with the beauty and inspiration dwelling in your everyday life and world. Leave behind your workday and ordinary chores, and engage your imagination and creativity by observing details around you. Writing a journal, poetry and stories, drawing and sketching, daydreaming of big and small ideas, welcome creativity into your life and activate and sharpen your senses, awakening your imagination to discover moments of magic. There is so much we miss as we move quickly and busily about, without paying attention to our surroundings. Arouse your curiosity, deepen your attention and turn creativity into an everyday and exciting way of engaging and living in our rich and colourful world. Start to develop and experience your innate creativity. Experience your life as a work of art, magical and worthy of your attention.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy adopting the ancient Buddhist practice of mindfulness meditation, we can learn to pay attention to our daily experience and become more contented and fulfilled by daily activities. Many of us find it difficult to simply appreciate the present moment. We either dwell on the past or worry about the future, moving mindlessly from one activity to the next. When we are not being mindful, we miss out on small moments that are often incredibly valuable – be it a beautiful park that we walk through on our journey to work or the taste and texture of a delicious meal. In mindfulness meditation we pay attention to our ongoing experience whether it is pleasant – such as appreciating a beautiful sunny day; unpleasant – a disagreement with a loved one; or neutral – doing household chores. This 'Little Pocket Book' is the perfect introduction to mindfulness and is packed with easy-to-follow tips and suggestions that will allow you to incorporate simple mindful moments into your daily life.

Read more less

Book Synopsis“...the perfect guide for those starting out on the road to wellness.” Natural Health magazine. Experience a year of living mindfully with weekly activities and practices, plus workbook pages to fill in, that will help you enjoy a more stress-free, contented and fulfilled life. Anna Black believes we can see our essential nature as the blue sky and our experience, good and bad, simply as impersonal weather that obscures it from time to time. We can’t stop the difficult times occurring, but we can help ourselves through them by connecting with our essential nature through mindfulness, weekly activities and meditations to cultivate present moment awareness. The emphasis is on progressing at your own pace and cultivating a spirit of curiosity about the moments that make up your life. To help you do this, included throughout are notebook pages, where you can explore your experience. Anna suggests ways to actively cultivate qualities that build our emotional resilience in the same way we may exercise to improve our physical fitness. We can learn to handle difficult emotions and to respond to our experience rather than being hijacked by it.Trade ReviewProvides weekly lessons for exploring mindfulness and building your meditation practice in a doable way. – The Essential Guide to Meditation

Read more less

Book SynopsisFind calm, confidence and a renewed zest for life with Sophrology, the latest stress-reducing self-care practice that connects mind and body to increase your resilience, happiness and sense of fulfilment. Sophrology is an amazing mind-body training system that uses quick and simple exercises to increase your confidence and self-esteem, bringing you a renewed sense of vitality while at the same time calming and relaxing you. This dynamic system of relaxation is hugely popular in France, and is used to train Olympic teams, develop resilience among pupils and teachers in schools, alleviate symptoms for cancer patients, encourage stress-free pregnancies and child-birth, reduce anxiety and phobias, and foster recovery from burn-out. Its popularity in France has been growing ever since it was first developed by a neuropsychiatrist over 50 years ago, and it's now crossed the language barrier and is rivalling mindfulness as the best way to deal with the stresses of modern living. Sophrology exercises take no more than a few minutes, yet their effects can be felt immediately. Whether you need more energy, or are struggling with anxiety, sleep difficulties, or an inability to focus on what you really want, Sophrology can help you achieve your goals, and create a positive future filled with wellbeing. **26 of the exercises in the book are available as audios on a dedicated website. They take you through each exercise, one step at a time, so you can fully benefit from all that sophrology offers: calm, clarity and joy. The illustrations and descriptions in the book, combined with the audio guides, make 'Empower Your Life with Sophrology’ a complete and highly accessible system for happiness and well-being.**

Read more less

Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated guidebook to unleash the enchanted explorer in you and help you embark on a voyage through the night to find the wonder and wisdom of nature and creativity. Become the wonder-seeker you truly are as you explore the night. In this magical book, Amy T. Won, artist and guide, takes you on a personal creative night journey, exploring twilight fairy tales and celestial myths, constellations and the cycles of the moon, and personal recollections of the night, such as camping or evening festivities. Amy's dreamy watercolour paintings of the enchanting night are interspersed with practical activities for the reader and fill-in pages to encourage you to record your experience. Through this exploration, connecting to your senses and examining your memories, you can learn your fears and hopes and develop your creativity to find inspiration. Capture the feeling of wonderment and creative flow, explore to your heart’s delight and experience the magic-making. Allow the world around you to whisper in your ears what you wish most to create.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis stunning book is the perfect introduction to meditation and why it is so beneficial and effective in the morning. Studies have shown that people who develop a morning meditation practice find it easier to stay focused and energised through the day, are less likely to reach for unhealthy snacks and are more adept at warding off stress and anxiety. Included in the book are tips on how to develop a practice, essential oils to energise you in the morning, simple breathwork, stretches and focus journaling as well as good morning tea blends. The meditations included are designed to encourage clarity and energy for the day ahead, with weekend morning meditations to help let go of the past week and explore bigger questions. Mantras are included to help bring awareness to particular words and phrases and set you off on a positive path for the day ahead. There is also focus on intention setting and an introduction to guided visualisations for boosting energy, finding focus and summoning creativity.Meditations include:Awakening Just for today Radiant light Path to the heart Soaring aboveSeeds of intentions Finding the flowThrough the eye of the telescope

Read more less

Book Synopsis FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE POWER OF LETTING GO 'Life-changing' - Sara Makin, Founder & CEO of Makin WellnessIf you learn to let go, your life will take off.How is negative thinking affecting your success? Are you holding on to a story about your life? Are you allowing judgement and pain to weigh you down?Learn to let go and turn your dreams into reality with this beautifully illustrated, guided journal from the bestselling author of The Power of Letting Go. Learn how to stay present, let go of the thoughts that keep you stuck, and tune into something far more intelligent than your brain using the creative exercises, writing prompts and techniques in this journal - and start living a life of freedom and success.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFeel calm and confident throughout your baby’s first year Mindful Mamma is a reassuring and practical guide to help you to navigate the life-changing first year of motherhood. Using simple mindfulness and hypnosis techniques alongside MP3 tracks, you’ll learn to: · Create moments of calm whenever you need it – even at 4am with a restless baby · Tackle challenges, such as fatigue and anxiety, and build mental resilience · Connect with your baby and tune in to their worldWhether this is your first or fourth baby, Mindful Mamma is your essential toolkit to manage the physical, emotional and joyful chaos of motherhood.Trade ReviewSophie brings wisdom and a sense of calm to the often anxiety-filled time of birth and new motherhood. Her mindfulness guides are a must-have for all women. * Milli Hill, author of The Positive Birth Book and Birth Like a Feminist *This book is like a gentle hug for new mothers. A wonderful resource that will help new mothers navigate the waters that they find themselves in after giving birth. There is no other resource like this that gives you the tools to cope with becoming a new mother while honouring the process at the same time. A must read for mothers-to-be, new mums and anyone supporting them. * Dr Claire Harris, GP *A supremely honest book. This delivers what we know to expect from Sophie Fletcher - space to breathe, permission to be, guidance on that transition to become mothers. She allows the reader to come to terms and then empower them to navigate their own path as mothers. * Jenny Parsons, midwife *As a perinatal psychiatrist I welcome this book as a beautiful tool to support mental wellness in the early years of mothering. Sophie’s warm voice and wisdom leaps off the page and gives many practical tips to help us cope and thrive as mothers. There is much to learn from this lovely book. * Dr Rebecca Moore, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist and Co-Founder of Make Birth Better *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA self-help version of the popular Mindfulness eight-week course, emphasising kindness and self-compassion. Mindfulness is an innate capacity of the mind that can be trained to alleviate stress and low mood, to reduce the power of rumination and self criticism, and to evoke emotional well being and proactivity. The Mindfulness Based Living Course is a practical guide to the development of a mindful approach to living in the modern world. Its distinctive feature is a compassionate approach to mindfulness that is based on many years of experience in the practice and delivery of mindfulness training by two of its leading exponents - the former Buddhist monk Choden and Heather Regan-Addis, both directors of the Mindfulness Association.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis moving book provides an inside-view of life in prison, and people's remarkable ability to make sense of their lives there as they learn to meditate. Drawing on years of intimate correspondence between prisoners and charity workers of the Prison Phoenix Trust, it traces prisoners' struggles through the harshest of circumstances to find authenticity, friendship and hope. This is not only an empowering guide for those in prison, but a testament to the liberating power of peace, which, in spite of all obstacles, can be unlocked within us all.Trade ReviewWhat a wonderful book. Clear, friendly, supportive, this is a superb manual and introduction to meditation practice, not just for people inside, but for all of us, inside and out. The writing from the prisoners is moving and luminous, and shows us all what meditation can do for a human being - the book is a teaching and a gift for us all. -- Henry Shukman, writer, poet and Director of Mountain Cloud Zen Center, USAThis powerful book of hope and healing is both a guide, and a moving account of prisoners' struggles and successes as they learn to meditate, and to make sense of their life and prison experiences. It is written for prisoners, but it has much wider relevance too. It is about friendship, love, and living truthfully. It draws on correspondence over many years between Prison Phoenix Trust staff and prisoners, showing how human beings can survive, and even flourish, in the most testing circumstances. This works when we are helped to reclaim the peace in ourselves, and to share it with others. Sam Settle's Peace Inside is full of humanity. Read it! -- Alison Liebling, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of CambridgeThis book will change lives for the better for people who are locked up in places not readily associated with freedom, calm and personal insight. The gentle clarity throughout brings the seemingly impossible within reach and introduces a way of living that can bring a new light to life inside and beyond. -- Pete White, once a prisoner now Chief Executive of Positive Prison? Positive FuturesSam Settle's Peace Inside is a clear assistant along the path of yoga and meditation for prisoners. Having myself spent a decade in prison, I found Peace Inside an accessible way to help prisoners find freedom whilst in prison. Brilliant, welcome, and a good companion on the way to spiritual freedom. -- James Bishop, author of A Way in the Wilderness (Bloomsbury), International Coordinator for Prison Outreach, The World Community for Christian MeditationTable of ContentsForeword - Benjamin Zephaniah. Introduction. Part One - Meditation. 1. What is meditation? 2. How to meditate. 3. The right approach. 4. Distractions. 5. Meditation in day-to-day life. Part Two - Letters. Extra Practices. End note. Prison terms explained. About the Prison Phoenix Trust.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMillions of people meditate daily but can these practices really make us ‘better’ people? In The Buddha Pill, Farias and Wikholm put meditation and mindfulness under the microscope. Separating fact from fiction, they reveal what scientific research - including their own groundbreaking study on yoga and meditation in prisoners – tells us about the benefits and limitations of these techniques for improving lives. As well as illuminating the potential, the authors argue that these practices may have unexpected consequences and that peace and happiness may not always be the end result. Offering a compelling examination of research on Transcendental Meditation to recent studies on the effects of mindfulness and yoga, with fascinating contributions from spiritual teachers and therapists, Farias and Wikholm weave together a unique story about the science and the delusions of personal change. This isn't simply another book about the route to enlightenment and happiness, nor is it a 'how to'. Farias and Wikholm challenge assumptions about the uses and effects of meditation and yoga. Controversially, The Buddha Pill argues that personal change effected by these spiritual practices can vary widely from one individual to another, and that peace and compassion may not always be the end result. Combining insights from decades of scientific research with fascinating accounts from gurus and prisoners, The Buddha Pill weaves together a unique story about the science and delusions of personal change.Trade Review"Mindfulness is modish, but can it deliver? If you are after a reliable guide to the possible benefits and harms of mindfulness and meditation, this is the book for you. Clear, readable and measured, it sifts a wealth of evidence in order to assess the real effects, and get beyond the hype"- Linda Woodhead MBE, Professor of Sociology of Religion, Lancaster University'Mindfulness and meditation are practiced by millions of people around the world, and their benefits are being hailed by everyone from doctors and mental health professionals, to parents and teachers. Mindfulness programs are being rolled out in schools and prisons, in workplaces and homes. Its popularity has exploded, and everybody knows all the ways it can transform our lives and make us happier, calmer, and better people. Yet nobody ever seems to talk about the negative impact it can have too, and to what extent it can really change us as people.In their ground-breaking book, The Buddha Pill, Dr. Miguel Farias and Dr. Catherine Wikholm put meditation and mindfulness under the microscope and challenge the mainstream perception of what they are for, and who should be practicing them. Now, in this fully revised and updated edition, they’re back to separate fact from fiction.Dr. Farias and Dr. Wikholm reveal what scientific research – including their own ground-breaking study on yoga and meditation in prisoners – tells us about the benefits and limitations of these techniques for improving lives. As well as illuminating the potential, they also highlight the darker side of these practices. With such powerful and transformative abilities, meditation and mindfulness can be triggering, unsettling, and anxiety-provoking for certain people. Their effects vary widely, and peace and compassion may not always be the end result. This is especially true for young people, who have very complex emotional needs – aspects explored in a new section focusing on meditation and children.This isn’t simply another book about the route to enlightenment and happiness, nor is it a ‘how to’. With a clear and compassionate approach, The Buddha Pill offers a compelling examination of research on Transcendental Meditation, recent studies on the effects of mindfulness and meditation, and fascinating contributions from spiritual teachers and therapists. Farias and Wikholm weave together a unique story about the science and the delusions of personal change, challenging assumptions and helping people realize which self-development practices are – or are not – right for them.'- LightWorkReview.com

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe journal is designed to be used over a year (undated) and includes monthly and weekly check-in pages to help the reader manifest money and abundance of all forms. It also will help readers organize and clearly set out budgets and transform their relationship with their finances into a positive and grounded spiritual mindset. There are journaling prompts and scripting exercises sprinkled throughout the pages, space for the reader to free write, and coaching/Law of Attraction activities designed to help readers set intentions and successfully manifest their desires. The following are also included: monthly money goals, budget and luxury budget setting; practical tools to help you achieve your financial goals; journaling prompts around money/wealth; weekly accountability pages with money and mindset check in; affirmation suggestions and pages for the reader to create their own; and suggestions around how to Mindfully Spend and incorporate a positive new language around your money and finances. Using the journal and Emma's guidance, the reader will: Deepen their connection to their inner spiritual force Get into the flow of the abundance of the universe and tap into its infinite source of love and support Explore what wealth really means to them and how they can achieve this Feel empowered to organize and take control of their finances and to manifest a life filled with wealth, purpose, happiness, abundance and peace

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is a guide to the spiritual path that clearly reveals the signposts of success on the journey, as well as the blockages and traps that hold us back from a life of presence, meaning and enlightenment. By laying out the signs and blockages clearly and honestly and with a lot of love and humour, the book offers a wonderful resource for growth. Whatever level of freedom the reader feels drawn to – basic human freedom, or the great goal of the spiritual life of enlightenment – this roadmap will guide readers to tread the path of their ordinary life and receive the benefit in the here and now. From Signpost 1, The Arising of Questions to, finally, Signpost 16, Giving Everything to Love, the book explores all the indications of progress those who embark on a spiritual journey will encounter, offering reassurance as well as highlighting blocks such as the painbody, object consciousness, spiritual bypassing, the cult of individualism and dualistic thinking, and hard-to-spot cultural, religious and spiritual influences. In addition to sharing encouraging real-life stories, the books also offers a huge range of tools and practices, from using writing and drawing to explore our own teachability to self-reflections designed to expand awareness and let go of ego, to instructions for effective, safe, meditative practices little known in the West.

Read more less

Book SynopsisYou can experience calm mindfulness in every moment of every day Most forms of meditation ask us to be still and quiet, to take time away from our busy lives and forget about our ever-growing to-do lists. Myung Sung, the peaceful art of Korean mindfulness, does the opposite. Myung Sung is active, dynamic, a connectedness woven into our everyday experience through the practice of eight simple steps. Through stories and wisdom passed down through generations and practical tools, Myung Sung will help you: Find balance and happiness Calmly resolve conflict Walk through stress Accomplish your life goals Connect to your limitless reserves of natural energy and discover how your struggles – in work, marriage, parenting, friendships, health, money – become less difficult. By practising the eight keys of Myung Sung, you can transform the way you live your life and uncover a greater sense of balance between mind, body and spirit.Trade Review"Dr. Jenelle Kim shares a path out of meditation and healing that anyone can learn to practice in their life as it is, without taking much time away from their work and family. Filled with deep wisdom, practical advice, and touching stories from her own family lineage, the wisdom traditions of Korea are not as of yet so well known in this country; this book may be about to change that." - Julian Royce, MA, LPC, psychotherapist, meditation leader and host of A State of Mind podcast"Dr. Jenelle Kim is a wealth of knowledge sharing the wisdom of 3 major pillars: Medicine, Movement, and Meditation. When she discusses her studies as a Doctor of Eastern Medicine, she has such a healthy perspective of how modern medicine combined with herbal medicine is a great myriad for each individual. Modern medicine has given us a jumpstart, and it's incredible when mixed into a healthy lifestyle that involves movement, herbal remedies and of course meditation. The beautiful combination of herbal (Eastern medicine) combined with the knowledge of Western medicine is really what makes Dr. Jenelle Kim a true unicorn in the beauty and wellness space. Considering both is key when it comes to overall wellbeing and health, especially when it's communicated in such an educational and informational way. "- Adaleta Avdić, Podcast Host, Get An Adaatude Podcast "Myung Sung is a beautifully written and needful piece of mindful art that everyone can benefit from reading. As someone who has struggled with stress and finding balance in my life, it was through the profound stories in this book that helped me unlock the tools necessary for living a more meaningful and balanced life. I highly recommend it!"- Jay Fantom, Founder and Host of The Story Box Podcast & Author of The Path of an Eagle"Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, Myung Sung: The Korean Art of Living Meditation is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional and community library Meditation and Mental / Spiritual healing collections." - MBR Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review

Read more less

Book Synopsis“Graham’s book is accessible and clear, offering readers an opportunity to learn and do better.” Susanna Barkataki, author of Embrace Yoga’s Roots This book’s mission is to empower yoga practitioners and professionals to align their practice on the mat with their lives off the mat. Yoga as Resistance outlines a dynamic programme of social justice reform within the yoga industry. The majority of teachers in North America and Europe are white, able-bodied and cisgender. What does that signal to people differently identified about their place in yoga? This book welcomes all to take part in questioning the status quo and learn how to move toward equity – and why it matters. Seeking to inspire a whole community of radical change agents, Yoga as Resistance offers guidance to students, teachers, studio owners and brand managers, explaining how to practise self-enquiry, minimize harm and follow practical strategies for advancing social justice and racial equity. The overall message is inclusive and profoundly inspiring: if we truly want to practise yoga, we must all come together to do the work. As this work is often challenging, each chapter closes with a yoga or meditation practice or journaling activity to embody deeper understanding and help deal with any discomfort or issues that may arise.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA gorgeous luxury deck with stunning heart illustrations by visionary artist Saira Hunjan. This is a deck like no other, with jaw-droppingly original and beautiful artwork. The hearts are protective beings or talismans, each set in a heart temple. Using these cards to activate your heart centre, you can forge a bond with the Divine and open yourself to healing and transformation. The labyrinthine doorways, steps and passages depicted on the cards indicate the potential of passing through the heart temples into new opportunities and understanding. Saira practises a devotional path; her practice is channelling and creating artwork, which comes with pure love straight from the Source. To bridge the gap between the physical and the metaphysical worlds, she uses meditation to reach a deep transcendent connection that allows her to translate her experiences into her unique artwork. Her aim with this deck is to pass on the love, support, strength and courage she receives from the Divine masculine and feminine – with Shiva and Shakti. When you sit with Saira’s oracle card deck, you'll feel the cards alive and pulsating with information and potential.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith references to traditional Taoist and Chinese texts, as well as influences from the author's background in psychology and psychotherapy, this book by Lorie Dechar demonstrates how practitioners can work with the spirit of acupuncture points in modern practice. The concept of 'kigo', a Japanese word meaning 'season word', is used to understand the seasonal energy of the points and how the body relates to the universal flow. As an understanding of the spirit of the point brings focus and potency to a practitioner's needling, it also strengthens their ability to touch a patient's soul and spirit, besides the physical body.Tying in the macro cosmic connection of the body to the universe with a poetic force that amplifies and deepens the effect of acupuncture, Kigo is the perfect companion not only for acupuncturists, but also for chiropractors and psychotherapists, doctors and nurses, and other practitioners who use the points as part of their clinical work.Trade ReviewMastery can come in many ways. While our left brains are impressed by acupuncture's ability to quantify specifically defined healing goals and repeat them, its true heart resides in its artistry. Here, the artist, empty even of intention, unleashes a mysterious unseen power, and healing happens. Few are those like Lorie Dechar who can spontaneously harness this therapeutic power. -- Randine Lewis, Ph.D., L.Ac., FABORM, Author of The Infertility Cure and The Way of the Fertile SoulIn Kigo, Lorie Dechar gifts us her poetic vision of the spirit of Chinese medicine. Nature and spirit are ravelled through this beautiful work and Lorie is our perceptive guide through the seasons. She unfolds the Chinese characters to pluck wisdom from their embedded symbols, inspiring practitioners to draw on their own inner resources to match the majesty of the points. -- John Kirkwood, author of The Way of the Five Elements and The Way of the Five SeasonsLorie Dechar draws on an impressively wide range of Chinese and other sources to bring the 'spirit' of many acupuncture points to life. She also relies on her years of experience as a practitioner to reveal how points can be used to bring about a profound change in a person's spirit. -- Peter Mole, M.A. Lic.Ac, M.B.AC.C. , Dean of College if Integrated Chinese Medicine, Reading, UK, co-author of Five Element Constitutional AcupunctureBoth practical and magical, this book is a beautiful addition to the pantheon of commentaries on acupuncture. With gentle poetry and deep experience, Lorie brings alive the healing that happens in each of us whether we are giving or receiving acupuncture. Just open and read any page as a salve for the spirit or pithy instructions that will be just right. -- Josephine K. Spilka, M.S. L.AcRarely, and only if we are lucky, we find ourselves in the presence of a human being who truly changes our life, and maybe even our perception of life. That happened in 2010 when I found myself, accidentally, in a three day workshop with Lorie Dechar. This book is the culmination of years of inspirational work, setting out new possibilities, so enjoy every word, as her heart just might be speaking directly to yours.... -- Jen Wade, Joint Principal, The Acupuncture AcademyKigo brings to life the wisdom, spirit and poetry embedded in the names of the acupuncture points. This book will be of value for practitioners of Chinese medicine, Qigong and other healing modalities that recognize the movement of Qi through the meridians of the body. Lorelei Cheng's original calligraphy adds to the beauty and magic of the text. -- Robert Peng, Author of The MASTER KEY, Qigong Secrets for Vitality, Love, and WisdomTable of ContentsIntroduction. The Seasons. 1. Water: The Winter Season. 2. Wood: The Spring Season. 3. Fire: The Summer Season. 4. Later Summer: The Earth Season. 5. Metal: The Autumn Season. Conclusion.

Read more less

The human microbiome and its resident micro-organisms have in recent years come to represent a new frontier in health research and science. Yet this body of knowledge has hitherto been little addressed within Oriental Medicine theory and has consequently been underutilised in practice. The book proposes a novel and ground-breaking approach to understanding and influencing gut health and the microbiome by integrating the latest evidence from Western medical research and the long-established theory and practice of Oriental medicine. Building on an understanding of the body as a complete ecosystem where symbiotic relationships maintain balance in both mind and body, this integrative model sheds new light on an area that has seen rapidly growing interest both in and out of scientific communities, providing a more holistic and comprehensive perspective that both unites and broadens the potential applications of microbiome knowledge across medical and therapeutic traditions.The book's focus on the microbiome of the gastro-intestinal tract allows to explore the far-reaching and wide-ranging effects of the gut's micro-organisms on other body systems, on their ability to maintain good physical and mental health, and to fight disease and illness. This emphasis further provides readers with a practical guide to understanding and supporting a well-functioning gut and microbiome, through lifestyle choices and practices that focus on eating well, sleep hygiene, and mindful living.The booming interest in the area of gut health makes this compelling, accessible and informative hands-on book, an important tool for patients and practitioners of Oriental medicine and other relevant disciplines, offering readers a unique opportunity to add a new dimension to their knowledge of gut health. It will allow practitioners to deepen their professional development and enhance the quality of the care they provide by honing therapeutic skills and creating hybrid treatment plans that combine the latest findings from the gut-health literature and Oriental medicine.

Read more less

Book SynopsisModern lives can be very busy, saturated by technology and media, but there isn't always time for happiness. As this book proves, it is the time out, the ability to look back and understand life events that brings about deeper, more satisfying living. Life is difficult but not impossible, and can be rich and fulfilling. Difficult situations of conflict, stress and worry arise, as do pleasant situations, but there are ways through the challenges. It is essential to believe that there is something positive in everything, that God is in it somewhere, and that we can get through with help. The spirituality of St Ignatius teaches us that God holds us close, loves us and desires the best for us. It is a solid foundation that we can build our lives on, it is an anchor in the storms of life, and it brings me though even the darkest hours. These mediations can be used by readers as a daily prayer source, for morning, daytime or evening prayer. They are also ideal for parish groups who might read a reflection and then come together for discussion. The book's accessibility makes it an excellent step on the spiritual path for someone seeking or returning to acknowledge God in their lives. In this way it would make a perfect gift for someone inviting another to consider "God in all things". Trade Review‘This award-winning book is both a reflective tool for prayer and a map for finding a way through the ‘disarray, confusion and occasional chaos of life’. * Intercom *‘a very pastoral publication...could be used as a source for daily prayer and for parish groups for reflection and discussion’ * The Furrow *the involvement of the reader is the essential core of the book...[it] can be used creatively by both individuals and organisations... nothing better than Finding God in the Mess can be recommended.’ * The Irish Catholic *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe sequel to the bestseller The Great Work of Your Life shows us the way through our darkest times to our truest calling.How do we make sense of our lives when our world seems to be falling apart?This beautifully written guide from scholar and teacher Stephen Cope shows that crises don’t have to derail us from our purpose—they can actually help us to find our purpose and step forward as our best selves.In this sequel to his best-loved book, The Great Work of Your Life, Cope again takes the ancient yogic text the Bhagavad Gita—the epic narrative of the warrior Arjuna’s odyssey of self-discovery—as a roadmap for our journey to our own true calling. Then he builds on that foundation using the stories and teachings of famous figures, as well as stories of ordinary people and his own rich personal experience. Along the way, we find striking examples for finding meaning and purpose in our lives:Gandhi shows how to tap our spiritual resources and listen for our inner voiceSojourner Truth and Henry David Thoreau inspire us to seek out the unmistakable signs of dharma in the midst of chaosMarian Anderson and Ruby Sales shed light on dharma’s mystic power and how we learn to trust in itAnd moreIn the spirit of Pema Chödrön’s When Things Fall Apart, this book is required reading when you find yourself forging a path through crisis—or seeking a way through your darkest times to your truest self.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLiving a better-feeling life really comes down to one thing only: coming into alignment with the Energy of our Source. Abraham reminds us that we are truly Source Energy focused into our physical bodies, and that a conscious Connection to that Broader Non-Physical part of us is necessary if we are to be the joyful Beings that we were born to be. Abraham calls that wonderful alignment Getting into the Vortex.Through a series of Leading Edge books (New York Times bestsellers), Abraham has emphasized the importance of our conscious alignment with the Source within us. Everything-from the physical well-being of our bodies, the clarity of our minds, and the abundance we allow to flow, to the satisfaction in every relationship we experience-is impacted by our all-important relationship with our Vortex.Abraham has helped us to understand that our dominant intent in every day is to get into the Vortex! And now, they have lovingly and specifically guided Jerry and Esther Hicks in the creation of an innovative and valuable tool that promises to get us into the Vortex right now . . . and that tool is enclosed in the Getting into the Vortex User Guide in the form of a 70-minute audio download.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'What if you could find inner peace right where you are? No one-way ticket to paradise required...'After a terrible year, feeling burned out and broken, Emma Howarth decided to go on a year-long mystical adventure - from the comfort of her own home. The result was a year that changed everything. A year that turned frantic chaos into life in the slow lane. A year of magic and moonlight and pink sky sunrises. A year fragranced with incense and burning herbs (that sometimes smelled suspiciously illegal). A Year of Mystical Thinking is Emma's witty and life-affirming account of the year that transformed her world. Each month she introduces a new spiritual practice, with practical, actionable tips - from how to create the perfect vision board to living by the phases of the moon. Join Emma on her journey as she connects with spirit guides in February, obsesses over astrology in August and learns about reiki in November.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThat deeper calling within you? Don't ignore it! It's time to start listening to your intuition - and following it to find your true purpose.Intuition is the strongest tool we have, but far too often we forget to use it or aren't sure where to begin. This is the ultimate guide to connecting with your intuition, awakening to your spiritual purpose and leading an inspired, joyful life.Award-winning spiritual coach Liz Roberta has devised a transformative framework of 21 inspiring questions to help you take practical steps to activate your intuition and start living in alignment. You'll discover how to:· listen, tune in and follow your intuition· develop deep trust and confidence in yourself· choose a life path aligned with your purpose· share your unique insights and gifts with the worldIt's time to trust your intuition and start living in tune with your deep inner knowing. You're here for a reason and your soul knows what's best for you. When you close the last page, you'll know too.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover one of the most energetically charged spirit power places in the world, learn about the surrounding vortexes and read remarkable first-hand experiences and visions.Thousands of people have had incredible, life-changing experiences in Sedona, including direct contact with spirits, visions and manifestations. Others have remarked on its magnificent beauty and energy, noting a distinct, undeniable vibration emanating throughout the area. Sedona lies on ley lines connecting to Stonehenge and other spiritual power places in the world, and is surrounded by four powerful energy centres, or vortexes, all within a few miles of each other. In this book, originally published in 1986, you will hear first-hand testimonials from people who have explored the vortexes, and remarkable stories describing their profound, metaphysical encounters. You will understand how the vortexes are charged and how they can affect you. Complete directions to find each vortex are also included, as well as important warnings and safeguards you need to be aware of before exploring. You will learn how to test the energy, then activate and expand it to maximize the psychic potentials of your own vortex experience.Get ready to explore one of the most sacred areas known to spiritual seekers around the world.‘There is no place on earth like Sedona, with its majestic red rocks and the awe-inspiring beauty. This mystical desert beckons you as soon as it comes into view. And there is no better teacher than the late Dick Sutphen to take you on such a rich exploration of this unusual and compelling place…. Take a trip to Sedona with this book as your guide. I guarantee something magical is awaiting you.’ From the Foreword by Colette Baron-Reid

Read more less

Book SynopsisTap into your inner power, manifest what you really want and manifest the magical life you were born to live!Radleigh Valentine offers practical, cheerful advice and simple guided exercises to support you in harnessing your energy, overcoming your limitations and finding your happiest, most authentic self.This book will equip you with the everyday magic skills and knowledge you need in several areas:· Manifesting what you really want· Choosing joy and living a life of gratitude· Recognizing the signs from the Universe you're receiving every day· Communicating with the angels and accepting Divine assistance· Strategies for increasing your 'daily magic' and your 'life magic'Your life is meant to be one of wishes granted and dreams come true. Discover the manifesting magic within you to make that happen!'Radleigh deftly manages to weave angels, wish fulfilment, manifesting your best life and personal stories (some poignant, but most hilarious) with glitter, love and a heartfelt honesty and integrity.... You'll learn that life is magic, you are magic and there is nothing stopping you from living your best life!' Colette Baron-Reid, bestselling author and spiritual medium

Read more less