Taking the Leap


Book Description

In this pithy, inspiring book, Chodron presents the Buddhist concept of "shenpa"--which can be translated as "getting stuck" or "getting hooked"--and shows readers how they can liberate themselves from it.




Taking the Leap


Book Description

Ever feel trapped in the same old habits and painful emotions time and time again? These are patterns we all face, and sometimes they feel impossible to shake. So how can we get unstuck? Drawing on time-honored Buddhist teachings on shenpa (all the attachments and compulsions that cause us suffering), Pema Chödrön shows how certain habits of mind tend to “hook” us and get us stuck in states of anger, blame, self-hatred, addiction, and so much more—and, most of all, how we can liberate ourselves from them. “This path entails uncovering three basic human qualities,” explains Pema. “They are natural intelligence, natural warmth, and natural openness. Everyone, everywhere, all over the globe, has these qualities and can call on them to help themselves and others.” Pema shares insights and exercises from her lifetime of practice that we can immediately put to use in our lives to awaken these essential qualities and help us to take a bold leap toward a new way of living—one that will bring about positive transformation for ourselves and for our troubled world.




Freeing Ourselves


Book Description

This book draws together many previously published articles and book chapters produced by the author over the past 20 years of work in the field of indigenous education. However, rather than just being a compilation of a series of papers, this book is a record of the development of an indigenous approach towards large-scale, theory-based education reform that is now being implemented, in two different forms, in almost half of the secondary schools in New Zealand. Fundamental to this theorising is the understanding, identified by Paulo Freire over forty years ago, that answers to the conditions oppressed peoples find themselves in is not to be found in the language or understandings of the oppressors. Rather, it is to be found in those of the oppressed. This realisation has been confirmed by the examples in this book. The first is seen where it is identified how researching in Maori contexts needs to be conducted dialogically within the world view and understandings of Maori people. Secondly, dialogue in its widest sense is crucial for developing a means whereby Maori students are able to participate successfully in education. The book details how researching the impact of colonization on his mother’s Maori family enabled the author to develop a means of researching within indigenous, Maori contexts. It then details how the lessons learnt here appealed as being a means by which the marginalization of Maori students in mainstream, public school classrooms could be re-theorised, and how schools and education systems could be reorganised so as to support indigenous students to be successful learners.




Freeing Yourself from Anxiety


Book Description

Is worry wearing you out? Whether it's losing sleep over a deadline, fretting about a relationship, or constantly thinking about what you "should have" done or said, anxiety makes life feel like a race from one overwhelming situation to the next. Freeing Yourself from Anxiety reveals the real secret to reducing stress: not positive thinking, but possible thinking. In this breakthrough guide, Dr. Tamar Chansky shows you dozens of simple yet powerful strategies you can use at any time to transform your anxious thoughts, conquer perfectionism and procrastination, and improve the way your brain reacts to stress, even without medication. For anyone suffering with an anxiety disorder or depression, or who simply wants to handle everyday challenges more optimally and successfully, Dr. Chansky's innovative program will help you breathe easier. Get ready to feel calm, confident, more like yourself again—and free to create the life you want.




Never Good Enough


Book Description

This practical guide to overcoming the dangers of being a perfectionist--from debilitating feelings of self-doubt to difficulties with other people--shows readers how their perfectionist tendencies can actually help them succeed.




Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life


Book Description

Combining clinical analysis with psychological profiles of famous narcissists, here is an indispensable guide to recognizing, coping with, and ultimately overcoming the destructive behavior of narcissists. Everybody needs some healthy narcissism. But in a society obsessed with appearance, wealth, and status, it's easy for problematic narcissists to thrive. Many people who seem to "have it all" are suffering from one of the most common--and overlooked--personality disorders of our time: high level narcissism. Typified by an obsession with perfection, a desperate need for admiration, and a willingness to use and exploit others for personal gain, high level narcissism can spell devastation for anyone who crosses the narcissist's path. In Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life, psychotherapist Linda Martinez-Lewi presents an in-depth and supportive plan for identifying, understanding, and dealing with high level narcissistic behavior in those close to you. Martinez-Lewi helps you to liberate yourself from draining personal relationships with narcissists, and shows how to regain a sense of peace, balance, and well-being. Drawing on detailed profiles of famous narcissists, including Pablo Picasso, Frank Lloyd Wright, Armand Hammer, and Ayn Rand, as well as expertly rendered case studies from her private practice as a psychotherapist, Martinez-Lewi shows how to: - understand where narcissistic behavior comes from; -learn to spot narcissistic traits, even in the early stages of relationships; - realize why attempting to change a narcissist is fruitless; and - protect yourself from the narcissist's opportunism, manipulative behavior, and lack of empathy.




The Mindful Way through Depression


Book Description

If you’ve ever struggled with depression, take heart. Mindfulness, a simple yet powerful way of paying attention to your most difficult emotions and life experiences, can help you break the cycle of chronic unhappiness once and for all. In The Mindful Way through Depression, four uniquely qualified experts explain why our usual attempts to “think” our way out of a bad mood or just “snap out of it” lead us deeper into the downward spiral. Through insightful lessons drawn from both Eastern meditative traditions and cognitive therapy, they demonstrate how to sidestep the mental habits that lead to despair, including rumination and self-blame, so you can face life’s challenges with greater resilience. This e-book includes an audio program of guided meditations, narrated by Jon Kabat-Zinn, for purchasers to stream or download from the web. See also the authors' Mindful Way Workbook, which provides step-by-step guidance for building your mindfulness practice in 8 weeks. Plus, mental health professionals, see also the authors' bestselling therapy guide: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression, Second Edition. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Self-Help Book of Merit




Freeing Ourselves from the Mad Myths of Parenthood!


Book Description

Susan Jeffers explodes the modern myths of parenting as no one has ever dared before. With humour and compassion she shows how difficult it is to be a parent and reveals the insidious guilt traps set by the child care 'experts'. She questions many fashionable myths and half-truths that add to a parent's sense of inadequacy and guilt and offers her own 'survival' tools. Among the issues she addresses are: * why parenthood can be a nightmare as well as a joy * the difficulties the relationship with your spouse can suffer after a child * how drastically life can change with parenthood * why mothers should not feel guilty to go back to work * how we can have great fulfilment with - or without - children This is the most liberating book parents will ever read!




The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion


Book Description

This wise, eloquent, and practical book illuminates the nature of self-compassion and offers easy-to-follow, scientifically grounded steps for incorporating it into daily life. Vivid examples and innovative exercises make this an ideal resource for readers new to mindfulness.




I Freed Myself


Book Description

This book examines the many ways in which African Americans made the Civil War about ending slavery. Abraham Lincoln's primary goal was to save the Union rather than to absolve the institution of slavery, yet slaves who escaped to Union lines refused to fight for the Union while remaining enslaved, ultimately forcing Lincoln to disband the institution.