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Walking the Noble Path
by Thich Nhat HanhZen Master Thich Nhat Hanh presents the true path to a personal and global ethic in this stand alone chapter of Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society.
Walking the Teacher's Path with Mindfulness: Stories for Reflection and Action
by null Richard BradyThis unique book offers compelling stories to help you encounter life with mindfulness and find new vigor on your teaching path. Author Richard Brady, founder of the Mindfulness in Education Network, shares his experiences in a variety of areas, including motivation, agency and freedom, creativity, nurturing presence and community, and more. Following each story, you’ll find reflections and contemplations that invite connection with your own experiences and ultimately with action. The book can be used by educators of all levels and subject areas, for personal use and for in-service and pre-service education.The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.
Walking Through Walls
by Lee L. JampolskyWALKING THROUGH WALLS is a no-nonsense handbook for the spiritual seeker with little time for a lengthy philosophical treatise-and even less energy for a "taking a lifetime for enlightenment" self-help book. Psychologist and author Lee Jampolsky offers an eight-week course that gets right down to the business of accelerating personal growth. Each week Jampolsky focuses on one of eight traits that are compatible with every great spiritual tradition: honesty, tolerance, gentleness, joy, defenselessness, generosity, patience, and open-mindedness. Cutting through the fog of typically lofty and unreachable self-help goals, WALKING THROUGH WALLS presents a realistic and attainable plan for personal development.A practical eight-week program that is broken down into lessons that incorporate eight important traits into everyday living. Each lesson is further broken down into exercises, affirmations, and meditations.Lee Jampolsky'¬?s HEALING THE ADDICTIVE MIND has sold 65,000 copies.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Walking Well: A New Approach for Comfort, Vitality, and Inspiration in Every Step
by Michael J. Gelb Bruce FertmanWalking is good for you. It can regulate weight, improve sleep, elevate mood, transform stress, and boost creativity. Most people want to walk more. But what if the key isn’t just to walk more, but to walk better? Walking Well presents a three-part journey that will guide you to discover more comfort, vitality, and inspiration in every step. Filled with simple, practical guidance from authors with over a hundred years of collective experience in teaching people how to move well, this book not only improves how we walk but reveals how much is possible for us once we know how to walk well.
Walking Wisdom: Three Generations, Two Dogs, and the Search for a Happy Life
by Deepak Chopra Gotham ChopraIf it wasn't for dogs, some people would never go for a walk.--anonymousGotham Chopra considers himself a pretty average guy. He devours pizza, lives and dies by his hometown teams, and watches Kung Fu Panda with his son--daily. But his childhood wasn't quite so average. Growing up, Gotham was exposed to the deepest reservoirs of knowledge that his famous father, Deepak, could find; his childhood was part spiritual, part scientific, and totally unique. Now a newly minted father himself, he's contemplating the influences he wants to draw on for his own son. The first was no surprise: his father. The second was unexpected: his dogs.From Nicholas, the blaze of energy and anarchy who turned the family upside down, to Cleo, a rescue mutt with food issues, the Chopra dogs taught the family about curiosity and wisdom, open-mindedness and passion, not to mention loyalty and pig's ears. But what else, Gotham wondered? And how did these lessons compare to the ones that Deepak himself imparted?Gotham would soon find out. When his mother took an unexpected trip to India and leaves instructions to look after Papa, father and son have an opportunity for male bonding on a big scale. That this bonding takes place on their daily walks seems almost natural. After all, Gotham also had in his care a nervous dog and an exuberant toddler, both with an insatiable need for exercise and exploration. So Gotham and Deepak walk and talk, discussing the laughs and licks that come with having a dog, along with the contradictions, complexities, and consequences of having children. They soon realize the qualities they observe and admire most in their pets are values we humans would do well to nurture within ourselves. They discover that our best friends have a lot to teach us.Gotham and Deepak's message may seem simple, but therein lies its brilliance. Heartfelt, endearing, and above all down to earth, Walking Wisdom offers readers both enlightenment and comfort, with a little bit of mayhem thrown in for good measure.
Walking with Glenn Berkenkamp: 35 Wellness Walks to Expand Awareness, Increase Vitality, and Reduce Stress
by Glenn BerkenkampDiscover the joys of mindful walking to find balance, build awareness, and engage body and mindGlenn Berkenkamp invites us to discover how we sense, move, think, and feel in our bodies. By reframing the joys and opportunities presented to us by the act of walking, he shows us how to become reflective and inwardly directed, even as we take in the world around us. With 35 different walks and the help of a "Which Walks to Do When" user guide, Glenn gives us options for every occasion and emotion. Feeling off-center? Try a centering walk. Feeling down? Lift your spirit with a gratitude walk or a prayer walk. There are walks for listening, grounding, and grieving, as well as rain walks, full moon walks, mindful dog walks, and more. He includes walks for all ability levels, including fun walks for children. As we walk with Glenn, we settle, clarify, and balance our bodies, minds, and spirits--opening to new perspectives and possibilities we didn't know were there.
Walking with Peety: How An Overweight, Middle-aged Shelter Dog Saved My Overweight, Middle-aged Self
by Mark Dagostino Eric O'GreyEric was 150 pounds overweight, depressed, and sick. After a lifetime of failed diet attempts, and the onset of type 2 diabetes due to his weight, Eric went to a new doctor, who surprisingly prescribed a shelter dog. And that's when Eric met Peety: an overweight, middle-aged, and forgotten dog who, like Eric, had seen better days. The two adopted each other and began an incredible journey together, forming a bond of unconditional love that forever changed their lives. Over the next year, just by going on walks, playing together, and eating plant-based foods, Eric lost 150 pounds, and Peety lost 25. As a result, Eric reversed his diabetes, got off all medication, and became happy and healthy for the first time in his life-eventually reconnecting with and marrying his high school sweetheart. WALKING WITH PEETY is for anyone who is ready to make a change in his or her life, and for everyone who knows the joy, love, and hope that dogs can bring. This is more than a tale of mutual rescue. This is an epic story of friendship and strength.
Walking Wonders
by Cathlynn Richard DodsonA guide to finding joy and relaxation through the practice of taking a daily walk.
Walking Your Blues Away: How to Heal the Mind and Create Emotional Well-Being
by Thom HartmannA new approach to using walking to heal emotional trauma and bring forth optimal mental functioning • Explores why and how we carry emotional wounds, and how they can be healed and resolved • Shows how walking stimulates both sides of the brain to promote and restore mental health • Provides simple, yet potent, mental exercises to use while walking Our bodies usually heal rapidly from an illness, injury, or wound. Yet our minds and hearts often suffer for years with debilitating symptoms of distress or upset. Why is it so hard for our minds and hearts to heal? The key to healing them is simple and can be just a short walk away.Walking--a bilateral therapy that has been a part of human life throughout history--allows people to heal emotionally as quickly as they do physically. Bilateral therapies engage both sides of the brain and unlock natural states of optimal function and creativity. Thom Hartmann examines how memory works and why emotional shock can resist normal healing. He found that the simple act of walking is effective in treating emotional disturbances ranging from temporary upsets and problems to chronic conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Case studies have shown dramatic results. Walking consciously, while holding a distress or desire in mind, can rapidly dissolve the rigidity of a traumatic memory or negative mind state, dispersing its unpleasant associations in as little as a half hour’s time. While walking has always been a natural part of life, its importance in promoting and maintaining mental health is only recently being rediscovered. Hartmann’s simple yet potent exercises allow us to create our own walking journeys to restore our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being as well as rejuvenate our body’s health.
Walking Your Talk
by Lavinia PlonkaIn every movement of our bodies, we express a world of emotions. But our movements don't just reflect our emotions-they directly affect them. In Walking Your Talk, Lavinia Plonka explores the connection between how we move and how we feel. Our movements and body posture are more than just simple expressions of our feelings-they are a powerful factor in our well-being. And changing them can be a crucial first step in altering our emotional behaviors. Drawing from her years of experience as a movement teacher and Feldenkrais Method(r) instructor, Plonka provides simple exercises, thought-provoking lessons, and real-life examples that help readers better understand the relationship between their movement patterns and their emotional state. After beginning with an overview of both historical and modern ideas about the correlation between bodily movement and human emotion and expression, Plonka turns theory into practice by addressing each major area of the body-and the emotional baggage held there. Through exploratory exercises, we learn more about: - how we carry stress-from responsibilities, family issues, and financial burdens-in our shoulders; - why we "freeze" the pelvis-the bodily center of personal freedom, power, spontaneity, and sexuality; and - the self-confidence (or lack thereof) we convey through our carriage. Whether she is examining how a depressed chest can make us feel psychologically depressed, how body language is used to deceive others, or how loosening our pelvis can help us break a lifelong cycle of self-destructive behavior, Plonka is always caring and insightful, guiding readers to a deeper awareness of themselves and how changing their posture has the potential to change their whole lives. .
Walking Your Way to a Better Life
by KimikoAuthor KIMIKO was a fulltime housewife and mother of two children who at the age of 36 discovered the mental and physical benefits of walking properly. Born and raised in Okayama--a prefecture west of Osaka--she attended an all-girls high school and was later hired by the Tokyo office of a cosmetics company. At the age of 27, she took the recommendations of a customer and met a financially secure man of 32 who was being groomed to take over his family's business. Falling prey to her friends' urgings to "marry a rich man" and her own ideas of equating marriage with stability, she got married soon thereafter. Though her husband was faithful, kind, and hardworking, and she provided office work for the family business, she found her marriage wanting until she realized one day that she "had nothing for herself in her life." She felt her "sense of self slipping away." It was then that she decided to take a walking class. Within two years Kimiko was teaching walking herself, refining the lessons she'd learned in other walking classes and applying life-affirming lessons to her process. Though the basics of proper walking technique and posture are outlined, the extension of spiritual growth and reaffirmation methods from applying them supply the body of the text. Some of the lessons KIMIKO discusses include:· Turning on the Positive Switch--Complimenting yourself throughout the day can elevate your confidence and spirit in everything you do· Discovering the Beauty Within You--Making a list of 100 aspects of your worthiness will help reverse the inner feelings of self-loathing and strengthen self-esteem· Make Yourself a High-Class Brand--Learning and applying the proper posture gained through walking will present an air of confidence and good looks that no amount of brand fashions and make-up can rival· How to Be Treated Preciously by Others--Don't short-change those things to which you treat yourself, otherwise others will shortchange you· Walking Effectively to Activate Your Positive Switch--The simple act of walking properly--head up, weight back, rolling your foot forward heal-to-toe--will cause a spiritual shift
The Wall Street Journal Guide to Starting Your Financial Life
by Karen BlumenthalFrom the nation's most trusted authority in finance comes a comprehensive, accessible guide to getting on the right path for responsible money management and lifelong financial freedom.
The Wall Street Journal Guide to the Business of Life
by Nancy KeatesAlmost Everything You Need to Know About Leading the Good LifeToo many decisions. Too many choices. What today's smart consumer must have is a money-and-time-saving guide for conducting the "business of life"--both the big challenges, such as getting top-notch health care for the family and the best education for the kids, and the pleasurable ones, like plotting the family summer vacation. Nancy Keates and her expert colleagues at The Wall Street Journal provide all-new material that gives the lowdown on:The Savvy Traveler: How to cut to the chase and not only avoid the indignity of cramped plane seats and overpriced tickets, but also get the best and safest seats at the same time. The Fine Art of Dining and Drinking: Landing the hottest table in town--at a discount; picking wine without becoming a wine snob; and learning about "barley matters"--the newest, hottest beers.How to Speak Geek: Demystifying tech trends, with smart advice on not only what high-tech gadgets to buy but how to shop for them.Everything You Need to Know About Buying, Selling and Financing a Car: How to get the best and safest vehicle at the best price.Real Estate: Will the bubble burst? Here's how to be an informed buyer and seller along with the basics of remodeling and designing your home. How to Be an Informed Patient: Choosing a hospital, playing private investigator with your M.D., and learning about the tests you really ought to have (even if you have to pay for them yourself).Getting Real Bang for Your Education Bucks: What you need to know from preschool through college and graduate school.The Great Balancing Act: Managing work and family, and finding out how to avoid the overstretched child and parent syndromes.Financing Your Life: It was easy in the 1990s, but the world has changed dramatically. Here's how to deal with the new world of saving, investing and borrowing money.Shopping: The New Sex? Throw away your Kama Sutra. The number one thrill in shopping is getting a good deal--here's how to play the game and get the best stuff at the best price.The Wall Street Journal Guide to the Business of Life is both an instruction manual for living life to the fullest and a fun read about what really matters in the day-to-day. It has all the basic insight and information you need to navigate through life along with hilarious side trips such as "The Three-Decorator Experience" and "Cruises: Sailing New Waters."From the Hardcover edition.
Walt Whitman's Guide to Manly Health and Training
by Walt WhitmanA giftable, illustrated collection of quotes and pithy advice--equal parts self-help and grooming guide--by quintessential American poet and writer Walt Whitman.In 1858, famed American author Walt Whitman penned a series of newspaper columns under a pseudonym on the subject of “manly health and training,” shortly before his landmark third edition of Leaves of Grass was published. Recently discovered for the first time in 150 years, the fascinating manifesto contains the renowned poet’s advice and musings on topics such as diet, exercise, grooming, alcohol, dancing, sports, and more. This short collection presents more than 75 of his best quips, quotes, and extracts on healthy living, all in Whitman’s signature lyrical prose style.
WAM: Tales of a Wandering Loon (Inspirational Series)
by Chris YoungAs a kind, chatty, and good-humoured man with a zest for life and a passion for helping people, Chris Young adored his job as a social worker. But things fell apart when, in 2008, he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. His illness brought about the end of his calling and he found himself in need of a new project and purpose.And so it came to be that in 2011, Chris began a campaign called Walk a Mile In my Shoes. He walks around the edge of the UK – the edge of society being where many people with mental health problems feel they are – without spending any money and relying on the kindness of strangers.In 2015, he joined forces with See Me Scotland to distil the success of the coastal walk into a series of events, inviting other people to join him and discuss mental health. He encouraged them to literally walk a mile in each other's shoes. Walk a Mile: Tales of a Wandering Loon is the story of how a normal, nurturing childhood turned into one of neglect and abuse and how this, combined with a little faulty brain wiring, led to a severe and enduring mental illness.
The Wander Society
by Keri Smithwan·der verb \ˈwän-dər\ to walk/explore/amble in an unplanned or aimless way with a complete openness to the unknown Several years ago when Keri Smith, bestselling author of Wreck This Journal, discovered cryptic handwritten notations in a worn copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, her interest was piqued. Little did she know at the time that those simple markings would become the basis of a years-long, life-changing exploration into a mysterious group known only as The Wander Society, as well as the subject of this book.Within these pages, you'll find the results of Smith's research: A guide to the Wander Society, a secretive group that holds up the act of wandering, or unplanned exploring, as a way of life. You'll learn about the group's mysterious origins, meet fellow wanderers through time, discover how wandering feeds the creative mind, and learn how to best practice the art of wandering, should you choose to accept the mission.From the Hardcover edition.
Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction
by Marcia ReynoldsPresents fresh research and powerful stories to give voice to a new generation of women driven by challenge and change Offers compelling advice on how to make wandering a life strategy, not just a series of unplanned events Includes probing questions and thought-provoking exercises to help readers find peace in life's chaos and confusion 2011 Axiom Award Gold Medal winner in the category of Women in Business There’s a new generation of high-achieving women today—confident, ambitious, accomplished, driven. And yet, as master coach Marcia Reynolds discovered, many of them are also anxious, discontented, and frustrated. They’re constantly questioning their purpose, juggling multiple roles, and reevaluating their goals. As a result they’re restless—they move from job to job, from challenge to challenge, almost on impulse. They’re wander women. Existing personal growth books, so focused on empowerment and encouragement, can’t help these women. They don’t need to find their voice—they know how to roar. They don’t expect balance in their lives—but they long to find peace in the chaos. They aren’t necessarily focused on gaining a seat in the boardroom—they want projects that mean something or businesses they run on their own. Reynolds helps wander women understand the roots of their restlessness and make their wandering a conscious strategy, not a reaction. Drawing on extensive research and interviews she illuminates the needs that drive their decisions and the core assumptions that lock them into rigid perfectionist patterns. She offers a wealth of exercises and practices that will enable wander women to reset their mental programming, discover new ways of finding direction, and thoughtfully choose and plan their futures, whether they climb the corporate ladder, find satisfaction below the glass ceiling, or set out on their own. For every woman plagued by frustration and self-doubt—“Will what I’ve done ever feel good enough?”—Wander Woman sets the stage to uncover the answers to life’s tough questions about meaning and purpose, significance and value, and the legacy you can leave from a life lived well.
The Wandering Mind: What Medieval Monks Tell Us About Distraction
by Jamie KreinerA revelatory account of how Christian monks identified distraction as a fundamental challenge—and how their efforts to defeat it can inform ours, more than a millennium later. The digital era is beset by distraction, and it feels like things are only getting worse. At times like these, the distant past beckons as a golden age of attention. We fantasize about escaping our screens. We dream of recapturing the quiet of a world with less noise. We imagine retreating into solitude and singlemindedness, almost like latter-day monks. But although we think of early monks as master concentrators, a life of mindfulness did not, in fact, come to them easily. As historian Jamie Kreiner demonstrates in The Wandering Mind, their attempts to stretch the mind out to God—to continuously contemplate the divine order and its ethical requirements—were all-consuming, and their battles against distraction were never-ending. Delving into the experiences of early Christian monks living in the Middle East, around the Mediterranean, and throughout Europe from 300 to 900 CE, Kreiner shows that these men and women were obsessed with distraction in ways that seem remarkably modern. At the same time, she suggests that our own obsession is remarkably medieval. Ancient Greek and Roman intellectuals had sometimes complained about distraction, but it was early Christian monks who waged an all-out war against it. The stakes could not have been higher: they saw distraction as a matter of life and death. Even though the world today is vastly different from the world of the early Middle Ages, we can still learn something about our own distractedness by looking closely at monks’ strenuous efforts to concentrate. Drawing on a trove of sources that the monks left behind, Kreiner reconstructs the techniques they devised in their lifelong quest to master their minds—from regimented work schedules and elaborative metacognitive exercises to physical regimens for hygiene, sleep, sex, and diet. She captures the fleeting moments of pure attentiveness that some monks managed to grasp, and the many times when monks struggled and failed and went back to the drawing board. Blending history and psychology, The Wandering Mind is a witty, illuminating account of human fallibility and ingenuity that bridges a distant era and our own.
Wanderlust: A Modern Yogi's Guide to Discovering Your Best Self
by Jeff Krasno Sarah Herrington Nicole LindstromLike the wildly popular festivals that have taken the yoga world by storm, Wanderlust is a road map for the millions of people engaged in cultivating their best selves. For the 20 million people who grab their yoga mats in the United States every week, this book gives a completely unique way to understand "yoga"—not just as something to do in practice, but as a broader principle for living. Wanderlust helps readers navigate their personal path and find their own true north, curating principles that embody the brand and lifestyle—authentic yoga practices, provocative thinking, music, art, good food, eco-friendly activities, and more.Each chapter includes expert yoga instruction by renowned teachers; inspiring music playlists to motivate readers to practice; thought-provoking art; awesome recipes for delicious, healthy foods to sustain a yoga regimen; and fun, unexpected detours. This wide array of ideas and beautiful visuals is designed to be hyper-stimulating—whether a reader follows the arc of the book from beginning to end or dips into chapters at random, she is sure to find something pleasing to the eye, to feel motivated to practice, and to want to reach for her deepest desires and dreams. This book brings the Wanderlust festival experience into any reader's home.
War and the Christian Conscience How shall Modern War be Conducted Justly?: How Shall Modern War Be Conducted Justly?
by Paul RamseyA fascinating inquiry into the ancient Christian theory of the "just war" and its application today.“In this volume, a product of the Lilly Endowment Research Program...a competent scholar deals with a major issue in the field of Christian ethics. The central theme of the book is stated in the sub-title, "How shall modern war be conducted justly?" The author seeks primarily to articulate principles of justice relevant to decisions concerning the nature and use of weapons by nations.At this crucial period in international relations Dr. Ramsey thinks that neither unlimited warfare nor the total abolition of force is the desirable solution of the tension. He is convinced that statesmen should give attention to the kind of weapons that should be prohibited in what Dr. Frank Graham has described as an era of "mortal peril and immortal hope."In the quest of a rationale for effective armament, the author sets forth a revised version of the "theory of the just war." After a penetrating analysis of motifs in the doctrine of the just war in the writings of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas and in contemporary Roman Catholic and Protestant thought, he presents norms by which right and wrong action in warfare may be distinguished. He thinks that there is a basic moral difference between limited and total war and that the exposure of noncombatants—including the children, the sick, and the aged—to indiscriminate bombing can not be justified. He is convinced that the possession or the use of megaton weapons surpasses reasonable and moral limitations of international conflict. He believes that justice requires nations to settle disputes by diplomacy, to explore every honorable way to avoid war, and to prepare for a limited and purposeful defense. He argues that "counter-forces warfare" is the only kind of warfare that can be conducted justly and that present weapons of unlimited power should be eliminated at the earliest possible moment.”—Olin T. Binkley
War and the Soul
by Edward TickIn 2010 the Department of Veterans Affairs cited 171,423 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans diagnosed with PTSD, out of 593,634 total patients treated. That's almost 30 percent; other statistics show 35 percent. Such vets typically can't hold jobs. They are incapable of intimacy, creative work, and self-realization. Some can't leave the house because they are afraid they will kill or be killed.The key to healing, says psychotherapist Ed Tick, is in how we understand PTSD. In war's overwhelming violence, the soul-the true self-flees and can become lost for life. He redefines PTSD as a true identity disorder, with radical implications for therapy. First, Tick establishes the traditional context of war in mythology and religion. Then he describes in depth PTSD in terms of identity issues. Finally, drawing on world spiritual traditions, he presents ways to nurture a positive identity based in compassion and forgiveness.War and the Soul will change the way we think about war, for veterans and for all those who love and want to help them. It shows how to make the wounded soul whole again. When this work is achieved, PTSD vanishes and the veteran can truly return home.
The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World
by Jamil Zaki'In this masterpiece, Jamil Zaki weaves together the very latest science with stories that will stay in your heart forever' - Angela Duckworth, author of Grit 'Scientific, gripping, groundbreaking and hopeful. The War for Kindness is the message for our times' - Carol Dweck, author of Mindset Empathy has been on people's mind a lot lately. Philosophers, evolutionary scientists and indeed former President Obama agree that an increase in empathy could advance us beyond the hatred, violence and polarization in which the world seems caught. Others disagree, arguing it is easiest to empathize with people who look, talk or think like us. As a result, empathy can inspire nepotism, racism and worse. Having studied the neuroscience and psychology of empathy for over a decade, Jamil Zaki thinks both sides of this debate have a point. Empathy is sometimes an engine for moral progress, and other times for moral failure. But Zaki also thinks that both sides are wrong about how empathy works. Both scientists and non-scientists commonly argue that empathy is something that happens to you, sort of like an emotional knee-jerk reflex. Second, they believe it happens more to some people than others. This lines people up along a spectrum, with deep empaths on one end and psychopaths on the other. What's more, wherever we are on that spectrum, we're stuck there. In The War for Kindness, Zaki lays out a very different view of how empathy works, one that breaks these two assumptions. Empathy is not a reflex; it's a choice. We choose empathy (or apathy) constantly: when we read a tragic novel, or cross the street to avoid a homeless person, or ask a distraught friend what's the matter. This view has crucial consequences: if empathy is less a trait (like height), and more a skill (like being good at word games), then we can improve at it. By choosing it more often, we can flex our capabilities and grow more empathic over time. We can also "tune" empathy, ramping it up in situations where it will help and turning it down when it might backfire. Zaki takes us from the world of doctors who train medical students to empathise better to social workers who help each other survive empathising too much. From police trainers who help cadets avoid becoming violent cops to political advocates who ask white Americans to literally walk a (dusty) mile in Mexican immigrants' shoes. This book will give you a deepened understanding of how empathy works, how to control it and how to become the type of empathiser you want to be.
The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World
by Jamil Zaki'In this masterpiece, Jamil Zaki weaves together the very latest science with stories that will stay in your heart forever' - Angela Duckworth, author of Grit'Scientific, gripping, groundbreaking and hopeful. The War for Kindness is the message for our times' - Carol Dweck, author of MindsetEmpathy has been on people's mind a lot lately. Philosophers, evolutionary scientists and indeed former President Obama agree that an increase in empathy could advance us beyond the hatred, violence and polarization in which the world seems caught. Others disagree, arguing it is easiest to empathize with people who look, talk or think like us. As a result, empathy can inspire nepotism, racism and worse. Having studied the neuroscience and psychology of empathy for over a decade, Jamil Zaki thinks both sides of this debate have a point. Empathy is sometimes an engine for moral progress, and other times for moral failure. But Zaki also thinks that both sides are wrong about how empathy works. Both scientists and non-scientists commonly argue that empathy is something that happens to you, sort of like an emotional knee-jerk reflex. Second, they believe it happens more to some people than others. This lines people up along a spectrum, with deep empaths on one end and psychopaths on the other. What's more, wherever we are on that spectrum, we're stuck there. In The War for Kindness, Zaki lays out a very different view of how empathy works, one that breaks these two assumptions. Empathy is not a reflex; it's a choice. We choose empathy (or apathy) constantly: when we read a tragic novel, or cross the street to avoid a homeless person, or ask a distraught friend what's the matter. This view has crucial consequences: if empathy is less a trait (like height), and more a skill (like being good at word games), then we can improve at it. By choosing it more often, we can flex our capabilities and grow more empathic over time. We can also "tune" empathy, ramping it up in situations where it will help and turning it down when it might backfire. Zaki takes us from the world of doctors who train medical students to empathise better to social workers who help each other survive empathising too much. From police trainers who help cadets avoid becoming violent cops to political advocates who ask white Americans to literally walk a (dusty) mile in Mexican immigrants' shoes. This book will give you a deepened understanding of how empathy works, how to control it and how to become the type of empathiser you want to be.
War In Heaven: A Novel
by Charles WilliamsIn War in Heaven Williams gives a contemporary setting to the traditional story of the Search for the Holy Grail. Examining the distinction between magic and religion, this eerily disturbing book graphically portrays a metaphysical journey through the shadowy crevices of the human mind."Reading Charles Williams is an unforgettable experience."--SATURDAY REVIEW"...one of the most gifted and influential Christian writers England has produced this century."--TIME"Charles Williams's firm conviction that the spiritual world is not simply a reality parallel with that of the material one, but is rather its source and its abiding infrastructure, is explicit in both the manner and matter of all he wrote. Hence the unique contribution offered by his novels to the materialistic age in which these characters live and behave and their plots unfold."--OWEN BARFIELD"Charles Williams took the form of the thriller and used it to create an extraordinary genre that has sometimes been called 'spiritual shockers.' His books are immensely worth reading, even if you consider yourself unspiritual and immune to shock."--HUMPHREY CARPENTER"...satire, romance, thriller, morality, and glimpses of eternity all rolled into one."--THE NEW YORK TIMES
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
by Steven Pressfield Shawn CoyneA succinct, engaging, and practical guide for succeeding in any creative sphere, The War of Art is nothing less than Sun-Tzu for the soul. <p><p> What keeps so many of us from doing what we long to do? <p> Why is there a naysayer within? How can we avoid the roadblocks of any creative endeavor—be it starting up a dream business venture, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece? <p> Bestselling novelist Steven Pressfield identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success. <p> The War of Art emphasizes the resolve needed to recognize and overcome the obstacles of ambition and then effectively shows how to reach the highest level of creative discipline. <p> Think of it as tough love . . . for yourself. <p> Whether an artist, writer or business person, this simple, personal, and no-nonsense book will inspire you to seize the potential of your life.