Download or read book Presence Kindness and Freedom written by Aaron (Spirit) and published by Deep Spring Publications. This book was released on 2003-12 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Channel Kindness Stories of Kindness and Community written by Born This Way Foundation Reporters and published by Feiwel & Friends. This book was released on 2020-09-22 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New York Times Bestseller For Lady Gaga, kindness is the driving force behind everything she says and does. The quiet power of kindness can change the way we view one another, our communities, and even ourselves. She embodies this mission, and through her work, brings more kindness into our world every single day. Lady Gaga has always believed in the importance of being yourself, being kind to yourself, and being kind to others, no matter who they are or where they come from. With that sentiment in mind, she and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, founded Born This Way Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the world a kinder and braver place. Through the years, they've collected stories of kindness, bravery and resilience from young people all over the world, proving that kindness truly is the universal language. And now, we invite you to read these stories and follow along as each and every young author finds their voice just as Lady Gaga has found hers. Within these pages, you’ll meet young changemakers who found their inner strength, who prevailed in the face of bullies, who started their own social movements, who decided to break through the mental health stigma and share how they felt, who created safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, and who have embraced kindness with every fiber of their being by helping others without the expectation of anything in return. In one story, you’ll read about a young person with an autoimmune disease, who after being bullied at school, learned how to practice self-love and started an organization with the mission of educating others about the importance of self-love, too; and in another story, you’ll meet a young person who decided to start a movement to help eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and encouraged others to talk about their feelings openly and honestly, a reminder that kindness and mental wellness go hand in hand. Not only were we moved by these individual acts of kindness, but we were also touched by the many stories of organizations, neighborhoods, and entire communities that fully dedicated themselves to helping those in need and found new, innovative ways to make our world a kinder and braver place. Individually and collectively, these stories prove that kindness not only saves lives but builds community. Kindness is inclusion, it is pride, it is empathy, it is compassion, it is self-respect and it is the guiding light to love. Kindness is always transformational, and its never-ending ripples result in even more kind acts that can change our lives, our communities, and our world.
Download or read book Finding Freedom in Illness written by Peter Fernando and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2016-03-15 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Buddhist wisdom for finding freedom and insight through spiritual practice in the midst of illness and pain. "Let your illness be your spiritual teacher!" Make a statement like that to someone who's struggled for years with, say, rheumatoid arthritis, and be prepared for an eyeroll (at best). To Peter Fernando's credit, he makes that statement, and no such impulse arises. We believe him because he's been there himself and because he backs up the statements with his own real experiences and with real wisdom from the Buddhist teachings. Peter starts by defusing the pernicious belief that anyone is somehow responsible for their illness: You're not "wrong" for being sick. Then, having gotten past self-blame, one can begin to learn self-kindness. From there, one moves to mindfulness practices and cultivating body awareness--even if body awareness is distasteful when the body isn't behaving the way you like. Further topics include getting intimate with dark emotions (fear, despair, the scary future, frustration, grief, etc.), learning equanimity (rejoicing in the good fortune of those who don't share your suffering), cultivating healthy relationships in the midst of everything, and practical advice for living with pain. Each chapter comes with one or more practices or guided meditations for putting the teachings into practice.
Download or read book Radical Compassion written by Tara Brach and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2019-12-31 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the most beloved and trusted mindfulness teachers in America offers a lifeline for difficult times: the RAIN meditation, which awakens our courage and heart Tara Brach is an in-the-trenches teacher whose work counters today's ever-increasing onslaught of news, conflict, demands, and anxieties--stresses that leave us rushing around on auto-pilot and cut off from the presence and creativity that give our lives meaning. In this heartfelt and deeply practical book, she offers an antidote: an easy-to-learn four-step meditation that quickly loosens the grip of difficult emotions and limiting beliefs. Each step in the meditation practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) is brought to life by memorable stories shared by Tara and her students as they deal with feelings of overwhelm, loss, and self-aversion, with painful relationships, and past trauma--and as they discover step-by-step the sources of love, forgiveness, compassion, and deep wisdom alive within all of us.
Download or read book True Refuge written by Tara Brach and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2016-01-12 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do you cope when facing life-threatening illness, family conflict, faltering relationships, old trauma, obsessive thinking, overwhelming emotion, or inevitable loss? If you’re like most people, chances are you react with fear and confusion, falling back on timeworn strategies: anger, self-judgment, and addictive behaviors. Though these old, conditioned attempts to control our life may offer fleeting relief, ultimately they leave us feeling isolated and mired in pain. There is another way. Beneath the turbulence of our thoughts and emotions exists a profound stillness, a silent awareness capable of limitless love. Tara Brach, author of the award-winning Radical Acceptance, calls this awareness our true refuge, because it is available to every one of us, at any moment, no exceptions. In this book, Brach offers a practical guide to finding our inner sanctuary of peace and wisdom in the midst of difficulty. Based on a fresh interpretation of the three classic Buddhist gateways to freedom—truth, love, and awareness—True Refuge shows us the way not just to heal our suffering, but also to cultivate our capacity for genuine happiness. Through spiritual teachings, guided meditations, and inspirational stories of people who discovered loving presence during times of great struggle, Brach invites us to connect more deeply with our own inner life, one another, and the world around us. True Refuge is essential reading for anyone encountering hardship or crisis, anyone dedicated to a path of spiritual awakening. The book reminds us of our own innate intelligence and goodness, making possible an enduring trust in ourselves and our lives. We realize that what we seek is within us, and regardless of circumstances, “there is always a way to take refuge in a healing and liberating presence.” Praise for True Refuge “Drawing on the latest findings in neuroscience as well as ten more years of personal experience on the path of awakening, Tara Brach’s superb second book brings readers ever more deeply in touch with our true nature. This book is a precious gift, filled with insight, shared from heart to heart.”—Thich Nhat Hanh “True Refuge is a magnificent work of heart. For anyone interested in developing a deeper understanding of the mind and how to improve the quality of their life, this book offers unique insights and easily learned practices that literally can transform your life’s path. Read, explore, and enjoy!”—Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., author of No-Drama Discipline
Download or read book No Time Like the Present written by Jack Kornfield and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-05-16 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this landmark work, internationally beloved teacher of meditation and “one of the great spiritual teachers of our time” (Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple) Jack Kornfield reveals that you can be instantly happy with the keys to inner freedom. Through his signature warmhearted, poignant, often funny stories, with their a-ha moments and O. Henry-like outcomes, Jack Kornfield shows how we can free ourselves, wherever we are and whatever our circumstances. Renowned for his mindfulness practices and meditations, Jack provides keys for opening gateways to immediate shifts in perspective and clarity of vision, allowing us to “grapple with difficult emotions” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) and know how to change course, take action, or—when we shouldn’t act—just relax and trust. Each chapter presents a path to a different kind of freedom—freedom from fear, freedom to start over, to love, to be yourself, and to be happy—and guides you into an active process that engages your mind and heart, awakens your spirit, and brings real joy, over and over again. Drawing from his own life as a son, brother, father, and partner, and on his forty years of face-to-face teaching of thousands of people across the country, Jack presents “a consommé of goodness, heart, laughter, tears, and breath, nourishing and delicious” (Anne Lamott, author of Bird by Bird). His keys to life will help us find hope, clarity, relief from past disappointments and guilt, and the courage to go forward.
Download or read book Radical Acceptance written by Tara Brach and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2004-11-23 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In our current times of global crises and spiking collective anxiety, Tara Brach’s transformative practice of Radical Acceptance offers a pathway to inner freedom and a more compassionate world. This classic work now features an insightful new introduction, an exclusive bonus chapter, and additional guided meditations. “Radical Acceptance offers us an invitation to embrace ourselves with all our pain, fear, and anxieties, and to step lightly yet firmly on the path of understanding and compassion.”—Thich Nhat Hanh “Believing that something is wrong with us is a deep and tenacious suffering,” says Tara Brach at the start of this illuminating book. This suffering emerges in crippling self-judgments and conflicts in our relationships, in addictions and perfectionism, in loneliness and overwork—all the forces that keep our lives constricted and unfulfilled. Radical Acceptance offers a path to freedom, including the day-to-day practical guidance developed over Dr. Brach’s forty years of work with therapy clients and Buddhist students. Writing with great warmth and clarity, Tara Brach brings her teachings alive through personal stories and case histories, fresh interpretations of Buddhist tales, and guided meditations. Step by step, she shows us how we can stop being at war with ourselves and begin to live fully every precious moment of our lives.
Download or read book Standing at the Edge written by Joan Halifax and published by . This book was released on 2018-05 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "[This book is] an ... examination of how we can respond to suffering, live our fullest lives, and remain open to the full spectrum of our human experience"--Amazon.com.
Download or read book The Dalai Lama s Big Book of Happiness written by Dalai Lama and published by Hampton Roads Publishing. This book was released on 2016-03-01 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Come On, Get Happy! Everyone wants to be happy. Here in this profound volume is a road map for discovering a life filled with happiness, joy, and a sense of purpose. The Dalai Lama's basic premise is that each of us is responsible for our own health and happiness and for the health of society. He further asserts that health and happiness are within our reach—both individually and collectively. How a person thinks, behaves, and feels ultimately impacts not only their own lives, but also the society in which they live. If you desire to attain happiness, you must understand that the journey begins with you. It is only then that you can reach out and touch the lives of others and change society. In this anthology, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with characteristic wisdom, humor, and kindness, directs readers toward a happy, healthy, and peaceful life. Talking about universal themes such as compassion, peace, non-violence, secularism, and the pursuit of a healthy mind and body, he reminds us that the responsibility to change our thoughts, actions, and lives lies within our power. This is a book for fans of His Holiness, for spiritual seekers, and for those interested in the spiritual and emotional health of individuals and societies.
Download or read book Being Present written by Darren Cockburn and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-05-08 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Free yourself from unhelpful thoughts and emotions and learn to live peacefully in the present • Provides practical exercises, meditations, and reflections centered on mindfulness, breath, and immersion in nature to simplify your life and anchor you in the present • Learn to use your body as a tool for raising consciousness, work with occurrences like tiredness, illness, and pain as spiritual teachers, as well as identify and release addictions, including harmful thought patterns • Can be integrated with any religion or spiritual teaching with examples pertaining to everyday experiences in the Western world Offering a synthesis of spiritual teachings viewed through the lens of modern personal experiences, Darren Cockburn provides practical insight into how to cultivate a peaceful mind, live skillfully, and nurture a spiritual connection through the power of the present moment. The author shares practical exercises, meditations, and reflections, revealing how to free yourself from becoming lost in unhelpful thoughts and emotions, while bringing acceptance to what life presents you with. He explains how to generate true mindfulness through connection to your breath as well as immersion in nature. He details how to use your body as a tool for raising your level of consciousness as well as how to weave exercise, diet, breathing techniques, and sexuality into your spiritual practice. He explores how to work with occurrences like tiredness, illness, and pain as spiritual teachers for enriching your presence of mind and being. The author explains how simplifying life where possible will also bring a better understanding to all types of existing addictions, including harmful thought patterns, providing precious breathing space for our overly busy minds. In addition, he shows how a stable practice of mindful presence can enhance the quality of communication with others, be it with family, with friends, or at work. Alongside an introduction to meditation techniques and supportive wisdom teachings from Buddhist and other spiritual traditions, Cockburn provides useful guidance on successfully integrating a regular spiritual practice into your day-to-day activities. He also includes pointers on how to create your own unique and personal structure in order to support your ongoing spiritual practice, the fruits of which will ultimately be a peaceful, calmer, and more connected experience of life.
Download or read book Bringing Home the Dharma written by Jack Kornfield and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2012-08-14 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We don’t have to look to the East for the secrets of awakening—the wisdom and peace we seek is available right here, in our ordinary daily lives If you want to find inner peace and wisdom, you don’t need to move to an ashram or monastery. Your life, just as it is, is the perfect place to be. Here Jack Kornfield, one of America’s most respected Buddhist teachers, shares this and other key lessons gleaned from more than forty years of committed study and practice. Topics include: • How to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity • Conscious parenting • Spirituality and sexuality • The way of forgiveness • Committing ourselves to healing the suffering in the world Bringing Home the Dharma includes simple meditation practices for awakening our buddha nature—our wise and understanding heart—amid the ups and downs of our ordinary daily lives.
Download or read book Practicing Compassion written by Frank Rogers Jr. and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2015-01-01 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Praise for Practicing Compassion Everybody believes in compassion, but nobody tells you how to practice it. Until now. Frank Rogers turns compassion into a doable, daily practice—as simple as catching your breath and taking your pulse. If you want to read a book that actually has the capacity to change your life (and the world), beginning today, this is the book to read. —Brian D. McLaren Author/speaker/blogger/activist (brianmclaren.net) If you want clear, practical guidance on how to cultivate the inner resources to become a healing presence and force of good for the world, there is no better book than this and no better guide than Frank Rogers. —John Makransky Professor of Comparative Theology, Boston College Author of Awakening through Love Compassion is more than a sympathetic feeling—it's the bond of human connection. Most religions lift up compassion, yet few people actually teach how to practice it. Through rich and moving stories of people from various faiths, Frank Rogers shows ways to incorporate compassion in our daily lives. His interfaith perspective on mercy, kindness, and caring for one another trains us to Pay attention, Understand empathically, Love with connection, Sense the sacredness, and Embody new life (PULSE).
Download or read book When I Was A Child I Read Books written by Marilynne Robinson and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2012-03-22 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the author of the magnificent, award-winning novels GILEAD, HOME and LILA comes this wonderful, heart-warming collection of essays about reading. 'Grace and intelligence ...[her work] defines universal truths about what it means to be human' Barack Obama Marilynne Robinson is not only a writer of sharp, subtly moving fiction, but also a rigorous thinker and incisive essayist. In this luminous collection she returns to the themes which have preoccupied her bestselling novels: the place literature has in life, the role of faith in modern living, the contradictions inherent in human nature. Clear-eyed and forceful as ever, Robinson demonstrates once again why she is regarded as one of our best-loved writers.
Download or read book Abounding in Kindness written by Elizabeth A. Johnson and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on 2015-03-01 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Free Yourself written by Carolyn Hobbs and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2014-10-14 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover your inherent capacity to overcome obstacles and find unlimited joy—with these quick and easy tools. Though the voice of our heart may be buried beneath the shouts of our ego and the clamors of our worries, our heart already has all the characteristics of the person we want to be in the world -- it's trusting, curious, aware, resourceful, compassionate, kind, grateful, forgiving, truthful, and peaceful. And if we manage to listen deeply, we can access these traits and the strengths they bring. In an encouraging, uplifting voice, therapist Carolyn Hobbs draws from her years of counseling experience and her spiritual practice to present the liberating truth: each of us has within ourselves the power to release ourselves from fear, from past traumas, from our ingrained habits of mistrust and defensiveness. All we have to do is listen to our wise hearts. Each chapter in this gentle, pragmatic book focuses on a single power of our heart and contains illustrating examples drawn from real life. Hobbs concludes each chapter with clear tools we can use to develop and apply these strengths amid the challenges of daily life. Busy people of all faiths will be able to use these tools to find freedom and inner peace -- to tame anxiety, anger, grief, and despair while awakening fearless love. Warm and inspiring, Free Yourself maps the path to lasting peace and freedom -- a path that absolutely anyone can follow, as the way lies within our own hearts.
Download or read book The Path of Clear Light written by Barbara Brodsky and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A spiritual teaching from Aaron, channeled by Barbara Brodsky, on the meditation practice of Clear Light, a non-duality practice. This book is a clear and concise culmination of Aaron¿s teachings on the simultaneous experience of relative and ultimate reality, which is the heart of dharma and the path of liberation. His step-by step explanations invite participation of the reader at any level. The book is filled with Aaron¿s usual deep wisdom and kindness.
Download or read book The Only Little Prayer You Need written by Engle, Debra Landwehr and published by Hampton Roads Publishing. This book was released on 2014-10-01 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "We need to encourage an understanding that inner peace comes from relying on human values like love, compassion, tolerance, and honesty, and that peace in the world relies on individuals finding inner peace." —His Holiness, the Dalai Lama These six words—please heal my fear-based thoughts—change lives. In this brief and inspiring book, based on Engle’s study of A Course in Miracles, she explains how to use the prayer and experience immediate benefits: being less irritable, more patientlaughing morefeeling like you have more time, more energyworrying lessmaking decisions more easilysaying no without guilt A typical prayer goes something like this: "Please help us find the money to pay our mortgage this month." Saying the prayer may help you feel like the burden of that month's mortgage has been lifted, but the part of you that feeds on fear will simply seek out new financial worries to keep you awake at night. Old patterns remain intact. In contrast, asking, "Please heal my fear-based thoughts about our mortgage" lifts the burden AND relieves the need to re-create that fear and hold onto it. This prayer heals your very desire for burdens, your addiction to fear-based thoughts, freeing you to live without that fear and with greater peace of mind. As a result, your financial situation is also free to improve. That's what makes it so different. One Facebook fan told Engle, "The most blessed aspect of this prayer is all the open space it creates for peace—I never knew how many fear-based thoughts were clogging up in me until this prayer."
