Here are practical methods for developing self-recognition and identity in order to improve relationships with other people in one's personal and professional life. A superb example of communication, the book shows us where we are most likely to sabotage ourselves and offers simple suggestions for dealing with everyday problems.

    The focus of the practice is stress relief, mental clarity and improved productivity, so it's perfect for the fast pace of modern life. This style of meditation was developed specifically for people with a lot of demands on their time – those with busy jobs, lives and families – and so it has been designed to work anywhere, anytime. All you need is somewhere to sit, a little training and a few minutes to yourself.Throughout the book, Emily explains what meditation is, how you do it and the many exciting ways that it can change your life. Stress Less, Accomplish More destigmatises meditation for the average person, making it attractive, understandable and easy to implement for all. This book has a very simple message: do less – without the stress – and accomplish more.Emily Fletcher is a leading expert in meditation for high performance and has taught meditation to executives at global corporations like Google, Barclays and Viacom as well as busy parents, NBA players, Oscar winners, entrepreneurs and everyone in between.

    Given how many people needlessly suffer from overwhelm, exhaustion, and preventable stress-related illness, the Leveys’ wisdom is needed now more than ever! This book is an inspiration for complete beginners, long-time meditators, and everyone in between, who seek to deepen and expand their practice.Dr. Joel and Michelle Levey were among the very first to bring mindfulness and mind-fitness teachings to mainstream organizations beginning in the 1970s. They have taught tens of thousands of people in hundreds of leading corporations, medical centers, universities, sports, government, and military arenas – including Google, NASA, World Bank, Intel, M.I.T., Stanford, and World Business Academy. They are the founders of Wisdom at Work (http://wisdomatwork.com).Originally published in hardcover as Simple Meditation and Relaxation (Conari Press, 1999) and in paperback as Luminous Mind (Conari Press, 2006), this book has been endorsed by a who's who of experts on mindfulness, relaxation, stress reduction, and healing, including Jon Kabat-Zinn, Daniel Goleman, Joan Borysenko, Larry Dossey, M.D., Ram Dass, and many more.

    The methods – gentle movement, self-applied massage, breathing exercises, and meditation – are drawn from the ancient Chinese healing system of Qigong (Chi Kung) and are easily adaptable to every lifestyle. You can practice them almost anywhere – in the car, in line at the bank, at your desk, while walking, even in bed. Using these methods for as little as ten minutes a day can dramatically increase your endurance, vitality , and longevity. Self-care has never been so easy!

    Do you recall, as a child, being enthralled by a drifting cloud, a rain-soaked leaf, a wandering ladybug? Or suddenly having a sense of timelessness, contentment, and ease? If so, then you've already had a taste of natural awareness. Known and revered in many traditions as a complement to focused mindfulness training, natural awareness transcends even these wondrous childhood moments. Some describe it as a profound "awareness of awareness"—an effortless, boundless state of resting in the depth of our being. For those new to meditation and experienced meditators alike, these 72 "mini-chapters" guide you on an in-depth odyssey into natural awareness, illuminated by many simple and enjoyable insights and exercises. The Little Book of Being invites you to explore: The spectrum of awareness practices, from focused mindfulness to flexible mindfulness to natural awareness• How classical mindfulness and effortless natural awareness enrich and shape each other, and how to practice both• Three ways to move into natural awareness—relaxing effort, broadening awareness, and dropping objects• A treasury of "glimpse practices" to spark natural awareness anytime, in just a few moments• How to bring this way of "simply being" into your daily life, into your connection with others, and into the world"At first natural awareness may seem far away, just a whisper, but then it will begin to grow and expand and permeate aspects of living. Over time we may feel more peace, more connection to ourselves. We may find ourselves taking life a bit more lightly. We may feel a sense of relaxed ‘beingness’ throughout the day, and when we do get caught in our dramas, we may find ourselves moving out of them quicker than we imagined we could." —Diana Winston

    In a beautifully crafted blend of moving stories, humorous insights, practical guidance, and personal memoir, she offers tools to help us make the choice we all face in times of challenge: Will we be broken down and defeated, or broken open and transformed? Lesser shares tales of ordinary people who have risen from the ashes of illness, divorce, loss of a job or a loved one - stronger, wiser, and more in touch with their purpose and passion. And she draws on the world's great spiritual and psychological traditions to support us as we too learn to break open and blossom into who we were meant to be.

    Beginning with the simplest breathing and sitting techniques, and based on three key skills—concentration, mindfulness, and lovingkindness—it’s a practice anyone can do and that can transform our lives by bringing us greater resiliency, creativity, peace, clarity, and balance. This updated 10th anniversary edition includes exercises, journal prompts, and ten guided meditations available for download online and through scannable QR codes.

    When Sigmund Freud awakened modern interest in the dream a century ago, his theory of interpretation undermined the potential insights dreams had to offer. For Freud, dreams were little more than fragmented puzzle parts made up of events from our waking lives. Most of us today still live under Freud's far-reaching influence. When we wake up after experiencing a powerful series of images, we too readily explain them away or simply ignore them all together. Whatever emotion or insight the dream evokes slowly fades. But what if Freud was wrong? Unless we challenge his deeply-ingrained assumptions, we will forever lose the gift of our dreams.International bestselling author Rodger Kamenetz believes it is not too late to reclaim the lost power of our nightly visions. Kamenetz's exploration of the world of dreams reopens all the questions scientists and psychologists claimed to have settled long ago. The culmination of decades of research, The History of Last Night's Dream is a riveting intellectual and cultural investigation of dreams and what they have to teach us. We discover how the age-old struggle between what we dream and how we interpret our dreams has shaped Western culture from biblical times to today. Kamenetz introduces us to an eighty-seven-year-old female kabbalist in Jerusalem, a suave Tibetan Buddhist dream teacher in Copenhagen, and a crusty intuitive postman-turned-dream master in northern Vermont. He fearlessly delves into this mysterious inner realm and shows us that dreams are not only intensely meaningful but that they hold essential truths about who we are. In the end, each of us has the choice to embark on this illuminating path to the soul. But one thing is certain: our dreams will never be the same again.

       In Trying Not To Try, Edward Slingerland explains why we find spontaneity so elusive, and shows how early Chinese thought points the way to happier, more authentic lives. We’ve long been told that the way to achieve our goals is through careful reasoning and conscious effort. But recent research suggests that many aspects of a satisfying life, like happiness and spontaneity, are best pursued indirectly. The early Chinese philosophers knew this, and they wrote extensively about an effortless way of being in the world, which they called wu-wei (ooo-way). They believed it was the source of all success in life, and they developed various strategies for getting it and hanging on to it.   With clarity and wit, Slingerland introduces us to these thinkers and the marvelous characters in their texts, from the butcher whose blade glides effortlessly through an ox to the wood carver who sees his sculpture simply emerge from a solid block. Slingerland uncovers a direct line from wu-wei to the Force in Star Wars, explains why wu-wei is more powerful than flow, and tells us what it all means for getting a date. He also shows how new research reveals what’s happening in the brain when we’re in a state of wu-wei—why it makes us happy and effective and trustworthy, and how it might have even made civilization possible.   Through stories of mythical creatures and drunken cart riders, jazz musicians and Japanese motorcycle gangs, Slingerland effortlessly blends Eastern thought and cutting-edge science to show us how we can live more fulfilling lives. Trying Not To Try is mind-expanding and deeply pleasurable, the perfect antidote to our striving modern culture.

    Each story and lesson in the book guides readers to release the blocks to what they most long for: happiness, security and clear direction. The lessons help readers relinquish the need to control so they can relax into a sense of certainty and freedom. Readers will learn to stop chasing life and truly live.Making the shift from fear to faith will give readers a sense of power in a world that all too often makes them feel utterly powerless. When the tragedies of the world seem overwhelming, this book will help guide them back to their true power.Gabrielle says, My commitment with this book is to wake up as many people as possible to their connection to faith and joy. In that connection, we can be guided to our true purpose: to be love and spread love. These words can no longer be cute buzz phrases that we merely post on social media. Rather, these words must be our mission. The happiness, safety, and security we long for lies in our commitment to love.When readers follow this path, they’ll begin to feel a swell of energy move through them. They will find strength when they are down, synchronicity and support when they’re lost, safety in the face of uncertainty, and joy when they are otherwise in pain. Follow the secrets revealed in this book to unleash the presence of your power and know always that The Universe Has Your Back.

    The Witch's Altar is an in-depth exploration of altars for covens and solo practitioners. From building and maintaining your altar to exploring the use of mobile and hidden altars, this book offers advice, techniques, and fun for Witches of all ages and skill levels.Learn about the altar's role in history and mythology. Personalize your altar with candles, crystals, sacred tools, magickal objects, statues, pentacles, and symbols. Explore how different altar locations may affect your practice, and discover new ideas for elemental, seasonal, and outdoor altars, as well as altars for the dead. The Witch's Altar also includes fascinating contributions from leading writers, including Jenya T. Beachy, Lilith Dorsey, Lon Milo DuQuette, Angus McMahan, Louis Martini�, Lupa, Gwion Raven, Natalie Zaman, Andrieh Vitimus, and many more. Filled with spells, recipes, and tips, this book provides everything you need to help you create the altar of your magickal dreams.

    The book first introduces you to the foundations of breathwork, outlining the research-supported benefits of the practice and explaining how the breath relates to emotions and resilience. Neese then offers 25 customized practices that she has created for clients over the last decade. Each practice features an introduction explaining the origin, benefits, and purpose of the breathwork, followed by step-by-step instructions and post-practice notes. With transporting photography and modern design, How to Breathe shows how small exercises can have a huge impact on daily health and happiness.

    The concepts and practices of Buddhism, says Batchelor, are not something to believe in but something to do—and as he explains clearly and compellingly, it is a practice that we can engage in, regardless of our background or beliefs, as we live every day on the path to spiritual enlightenment.

    Now considered a classic, Creative Visualization teaches readers how to use their imaginations to manifest their deepest desires.

    Christopher Germer has learned a paradoxical lesson: We all want to avoid pain, but letting it in--and responding compassionately to our own imperfections, without judgment or self-blame--are essential steps on the path to healing. This wise and eloquent book illuminates the power of self-compassion and offers creative, scientifically grounded strategies for putting it into action. You’ll master practical techniques for living more fully in the present moment -- especially when hard-to-bear emotions arise -- and for being kind to yourself when you need it the most. Free audio downloads of the meditation exercises are available at the author's website: www.mindfulselfcompassion.org. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Self-Help Book of Merit