Being Mortal: : Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande | Summary & Analysis


aBookaDay - 2015
     Gawande draws on clinical studies, case histories and stories from his own experiences as a doctor and a son to illuminate the subject of mortality relative to modern medical systems. His treatment of the subject covers a broad range of institutions and individuals that shape the lives of the aged and terminally ill. The central thesis of the book is that the experience of the end of life has been problematized and addressed by medical models that place extending life over quality of life and institutional frameworks that place safety and efficiency over the ability for people to have autonomy over the last part of their lives. Gawande is a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a professor at the Harvard Medical School. He is a writer at The New Yorker magazine and author of three New York Times bestselling books.

Meeting the Mystery: Exploring the Aware Presence at the Heart of All Life


Nirmala - 2012
    This collection of articles and answers to questions posed by spiritual seekers is a springboard to ever deeper inquiry into the greatest mystery of all—Presence, which is who you really are.

The Boy Who Saw True: The Time-Honoured Classic of the Paranormal


Cyril Scott - 1953
    'Not one of them has ever displayed the characteristics of this highly diverting human document, with its naïve candours, its unconscious humour, its oscillations between the ridiculous and the exalted, and its power to convince, for the very reason that the young diarist never set out with the intention of convincing. Here was a precocious young boy born with clairvoyance who could see auras and spirits, yet failed to realise that other people were not similarly gifted.'This is the Victorian diary of a boy whose extraordinary supernatural talent unfurls within these pages. A compelling read, The Boy Who Saw True is a time-honoured classic of the paranormal.

A Heart Blown Open: The Life and Practice of Zen Master Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi


Keith Martin-Smith - 2012
    Experience the successes and failures that led him to found an entirely new form of Buddhism called Mondo Zen. Starting from an abusive and alcoholic home in Wisconsin, Kelly becomes a major force in the counterculture of the 1960s and one of its biggest manufacturers of LSD. He ends up on the run for five years before serving time in a federal prison, and then goes on to spend six years in a Zen monastery. In his fiftieth year, he becomes a recognized Zen master in his own right, but the real journey is just about to begin. Extraordinary in their playfulness, depravity, and liberating insight, Jun Po’s life events swirl together to underscore and illuminate the environment from which one of the most controversial masters of the American Zen scene has emerged. A Heart Blown Open constitutes a powerful synthesis of Eastern contemplative wisdom and Western psychological insight and is as entertaining as it is inspirational.Winner of the 2013 Silver Award for Excellence from Nautilus Book Awards.

A (Not So) Enlightened Youth - My Uneasy Road to Awareness: A Guide to Finding Yourself from Within


Koi Fresco - 2016
    Half guide to awakening. "A (Not So) Enlightened Youth" describes the life of Koi Fresco and his methodology towards changing one's life for the better.From addictions to convictions and finally to a conscious awakening, follow the journey first hand as it transitions in real time. A journey that transforms into what Koi calls, "The Guide to Finding Yourself."As a creator of educational content online, Koi has amassed millions of views on his videos regarding science, spirituality, philosophy and more.This is Koi Fresco's first book.

The Zimzum of Love: A New Way of Understanding Marriage


Rob Bell - 2014
    Yet when these couples encounter problems, they often lack the resources that keep them connected to this greater mystery surrounding marriage.Rob and Kristin Bell introduce a startling new way of looking at marriage, The Zimzum of Love. Zimzum is a Hebrew term where God, in order to have a relationship with the world, contracts, creating space for the creation to exist. In marriage, zimzum is the dynamic energy field between two partners, in which each person contracts to allow the other to flourish. Mastering this field, this give and take of energy, is the secret to what makes marriage flourish.Rob and Kristin Bell are brutally honest about their own struggles, their ups and downs, as together they pass along what matters most for couples. In this wise book, they explore the secret of what makes a happy union—probing the mystery at the heart of the extraordinary emotional connection that binds two people. With his down-to-earth charm, a dose of whimsy, and memorable stories, Rob, writing with his wife Kristen, changes how we consider marriage, providing insight that can help all of us create satisfying and sacred unions of our own.

Enjoying God: Experiencing Intimacy with the Heavenly Father


S.J. Hill - 2001
    Hill asks. "It's simple, but it's radical. Some may even call it revolutionary. Yet, I believe this is the heartbeat of Christianity. It's all about relationship with our heavenly Father, the true Lover of our hearts."Enjoying God challenges and encourages believers of all ages to pursue a passionate and intimate relationship with God. It exposes how misunderstandings of the Creator can damage and jeopardize your faith, and uncovers a biblical understanding of God as Father. This book will move you from duty to delight in your relationship with Christ. Enjoying God features a foreword by best-selling author Mike Bickle.

Astrology: Understanding the Birth Chart: A Comprehensive Guide to Classical Interpretation


Kevin Burk - 2001
    As a teacher, Burk also understands that a real grasp of the subject entails more than just learning the techniques-it also involves grasping the underlying principles that make those techniques valid.Astrology: Understanding the Birth Chart is designed to be useful to all students of astrology, from beginners to more advanced practitioners, and will help you develop an integrated, synthesized approach to understanding the birth chart. You will discover how classical astrology can enrich your understanding of the planets, signs, and houses. You will explore the meaning of the Lunar Nodes, eclipses, the angles, retrograde planets, and aspect patterns. You will also learn how to identify key themes in the chart, and how to relate the different aspects and elements together to gain a holistic understanding of the birth chart-and of the individual. An up-to-date listing of astrological organizations and software programs is included that offers a wealth of resources for any astrologer.In short, this is a well-designed course that provides a solid foundation for anyone who is interested in practicing astrology quickly and with confidence. While many books at this level simply give you a set of techniques and ready-made interpretations, this book will give you a deeper grasp of an art and science that has its expression in the world around us, but its roots in the invisible world of primal origins.

Thundering Silence: Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Catch a Snake


Thich Nhat Hanh - 1993
    Thundering Silence presents the early teachings of the Buddha on how to see reality clearly without becoming caught by the notions and ideologies.

Trauma and the Soul: A psycho-spiritual approach to human development and its interruption


Donald Kalsched - 2012
    Through extended clinical vignettes, including therapeutic dialogue and dreams, he shows how depth psychotherapy with trauma's survivors can open both analytic partners to "another world" of non-ordinary reality in which daimonic powers reside, both light and dark. This mytho-poetic world, he suggests, is not simply a defensive product of our struggle with the harsh realities of living as Freud suggested, but is an everlasting fact of human experience-a mystery that is often at the very center of the healing process, and yet at other times, strangely resists it.With these "two worlds" in focus, Kalsched explores a variety of themes as he builds, chapter by chapter, an integrated psycho-spiritual approach to trauma and its treatment including:images of the lost soul-child in dreams and how this "child" represents an essential core of aliveness that is both protected and persecuted by the psyche's defenses;Dante's guided descent into the Inferno of Hell as a paradigm for the psychotherapy process and its inevitable struggle with self-destructive energies;childhood innocence and its central role in a person's spiritual life seen through the story of St. Exup�ry's The Little Prince;how clinical attention to implicit processes in the relational field, as well as discoveries in body-based affective neuroscience are making trauma treatment more effective;the life of C.G. Jung as it portrays his early trauma, his soul's retreat into an inner sanctuary, and his gradual recovery of wholeness through the integration of his divided self.This is a book that restores the mystery to psychoanalytic work. It tells stories of ordinary patients and ordinary psychotherapists who, through working together, glimpse the reality of the human soul and the depth of the spirit, and are changed by the experience. Trauma and the Soul will be of particular interest to practicing psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, analytical psychologists, and expressive arts therapists, including those with a "spiritual" orientation.Donald Kalsched is a Jungian analyst in private practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a training analyst with the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts. He is the author of numerous articles in analytical psychology, and lectures widely on the subject of early trauma and its treatment. His books include The Inner World of Trauma (1996).

The Magic Mala: A Story That Changes Lives


Bob Olson - 2017
    His desperate financial circumstances lead him to open his mind to new ways of living. After finding some mala beads, Robby is taken on a magical journey that teaches him the secrets to personal manifestation and happiness.If you liked The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The Way Of The Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman, or The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield, you are sure to love Bob Olson's The Magic Mala.An inspiring novel that transforms the lives of its readers, this book will leave you fascinated and educated about the universal laws that govern our lives. It's a story you'll want to read often to remind yourself of its wisdom--primarily, the magic of living a conscious life. More importantly, The Magic Mala will help you recognize the power you've always had but didn't know was there: your inner ability to create the life of your dreams.For more information and a free pdf of the top 5 mantras to use with your mala, visit BobOlson.com.What You Will Learn In This Book+ How to manifest the life of your dreams+ How to communicate with the Universe+ How to recognize the beliefs that limit you+ How to consciously protect your energy+ How to identify spiritual guidance+ How to create magic in your life+ How to increase happiness & abundance+ How to use mala beads for transformationPRAISE FOR THE MAGIC MALA Bob Olson takes us on a magical, heartwarming and spiritually exciting journey, as we follow Robby on a universal quest for happiness that will change him and us forever. A truly life enhancing book that I am honoured and excited to be making into a movie. Ileen Maisel, Producer, Amber EntertainmentThe Magic Mala is a special book about a couple who learns a life-changing lesson about the power of intention. Synchronistic events, messages from the other side, unexpected encounters with wise teachers, and a path to prosperity using an unlikely tool, will leave you inspired to use what you learn from this story in your own life, too! Cheryl Richardson, New York Times best-selling author of Take Time for Your Life The Magic Mala is a book that caught me completely by surprise! I didn't even know I was searching for the wisdom it imparts, but it immediately spoke to me. I'd say it even woke me up and helped me recalibrate my priorities and energy. The characters are so engaging and relatable--not your typical spiritual guides but all the more genuine for it. The Magic Mala is that rare book that calls me to read it over and over again, each time strengthening my resolve to face and pursue my dreams. In its pleasant and straightforward story lies a powerhouse of uplifting inspiration and authentic ways to find your place in the Universe. It's simply life changing. I'm so thankful The Magic Mala found me! Bessie Gantt, Editor and WriterA magical tale, masterfully told.

The Exquisite Risk: Daring to Live an Authentic Life


Mark Nepo - 2005
    In The Exquisite Risk, poet and teacher Mark Nepo encourages readers to become quiet enough and open enough to listen to what truly matters—our own hearts, our loved ones, the wonders of nature—in order to live a life with nothing held back. In rich, lyrical prose, Nepo shares his own spiritual path, including a battle with illness that helped him understand how only by daring to embrace all that life has to offer can we come to a deeper appreciation of its meaning and beauty.In the spirit of works by Deepak Chopra and Ram Dass, The Exquisite Risk unfolds in chapters like “The Struggle to Be Real,” “There Are Teachers Everywhere,” “The Rhythm of Kindness,” and “The Gift of Surprise,” offering fresh perspective on the art of being alive and providing essential insight into how we can minimize what stands between us and our experience of life.From the Hardcover edition.

Black Swan: The Twelve Lessons of Abandonment Recovery: Featuring, the Allegory of the Little Girl on the Rock


Susan Anderson - 1999
    "Black Swan is a symbol for healing, a spirit guide for overcoming the woundedness of adandonment."Twelve lessons for healing from the loss of love, presented in an allegorical tale of a child who meets a magical black swan after she is abandoned in the forest by her father. This story within a story includes the author's own experience with loss. The book provides emotional and spiritual healing to those going through heartbreak, loss, and abandonment.

Life After Loss: Conquering Grief and Finding Hope


Raymond A. Moody Jr. - 2001
    A unique approach to understanding and overcoming grief.Bestselling author Raymond Moody and his colleague Dianne Arcangel show how the grieving process can transform our fear and grief into spiritual and emotional growth.

The Warrior's Meditation: The Best-Kept Secret in Self-Improvement, Cognitive Enhancement, and Stress Relief, Taught by a Master of Four Samurai Arts (Total Embodiment Method TEM)


Richard L. Haight - 2020
    Richard L Haight, award-winning author of The Unbound Soul and master of four samurai arts, shares the best-kept secret in self-improvement, cognitive development, and stress relief, which he calls the Warrior's Meditation.      For people of all backgrounds, genders, and ages.To get a picture of the Warrior’s Meditation, imagine a battlefield scenario with a single Samurai stands surrounded by multiple opponents. A novice’s attention would jump from opponent to opponent in an anxious attempt to defend himself. Such a strategy soon tires the warrior, who will be defeated. An expert warrior will spread his attention evenly in all directions but still experience anxiety as he mentally plans his strategy. His thought and anxiety may be his downfall if his opponents are truly skilled. A master’s attention, like the expert’s, is spread evenly, but he remains as calm as the surface of a still lake. With no predetermined idea of what his actions might be, his body takes the right action without a single thought.You may wonder how the Samurai’s experience bears any resemblance to your modern life. After all, no armies or assassins seem to be trying to attack you or your town. In one way, we modern people are not so different from the Samurai. With our busy lives, we don’t have time to spend hours a day in meditation. Instead, we need a meditation that allows our actions in a high-pressure, fast-paced world to flow from a depth of awareness. The Warrior’s Meditation helps you access and express from that depth naturally.Surprisingly, a significant body of scientific research verifies the benefits associated with regular meditation practice. Below are some of the benefits that one is likely to experience through daily meditation: Boosts health through improved immune function, decreased cellular inflammation and pain. Boosts happiness by increasing positive emotion while decreasing anxiety, depression, and stress. Improves your ability to introspect, which provides a more holistic, grounded life perspective. Improves your social life as it increases emotional intelligence and compassion while reducing feelings of insecurity. Improves your brain by increasing grey matter in areas related to paying attention, positive emotions, emotional regulation, and self-control. Reduces emotional reactivity. Improves memory, creativity and abstract thinking. The Warrior's Meditation is unlike any meditation. This method is flexible in application, which allows it to blend with whatever your day has in store. Through short daily sessions, these benefits will open up to you through your active life. No longer do you need to retreat from life to meditate, for with the Warrior's Meditation, you can bring calm, clear awareness and vibrant life with you wherever you are. Eventually, you will fully embody meditation as a way of being, not just a doing. Open your eyes to incredible new depths of awareness that help to bring out your greatest inner qualities - begin reading The Warrior's Meditation today!