Tai Chi for Relaxation and Good Health           

Do you ever feel that nothing works out for you and that you are not actually much of a success at anything?  Do you find yourself dreaming about what you would really like to happen in you life but always dismiss these thoughts as unobtainable and fanciful?   It doesn’t have to be that way.  What you are lacking is self-belief.   In this book, Willie Horton looks closely at our attitude to life and the fundamental importance of positive thinking in achieving our goals.  He takes us through various mind-training processes, encouraging us to identify our desires in life, work out a plan as to how to achieve them and then work assertively towards the fulfilment of those goals.   He stresses the need for the strength of will not to give up in the face of adversity.   To Succeed … Just Let Go tackles issues that affect many of us at some time in our lives, especially during periods of frustration or stagnation.  It is a practical and accessible guide to facing life head on and throwing down the gauntlet to good fortune and success.

Based on my two-day workshop – a simple guide on how to get the most out of life – an easy reminder, for those who have done the workshop, of a couple of its key points.  

Right Now                    Willie Horton                                         ebook:  www.XL-Yourself.org

More a workbook than a book – with a set of “mental exercises” – enables the user get their head around what’s important to them and how to go about letting it happen.

The Miracle of Mindfulness                  Thich Nhat Hanh                        ISBN 0-7126-4787-2

In this beautifully written book, Buddhist monk and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Thich Nhat Hanh explains how to acquire the skills of mindfulness.  Once we have these skills, we can slow our lives down and discover how to live in the moment.   Even simple acts like washing the dishes or drinking a cup of tea may be transformed into acts of medidation.   Hanh’s gentle anecdotes and practical exercises will help us to arrive at greater self-understanding and peacefulness, whether we are beginners or advanced students.  Irrespective of our particular religious beliefs, we can begin to reap the immense benefits that meditation has been scientifically proven to offer.  We can all learn to experience the miracle of mindfulness for ourselves.

Based on a letter written by Hanh to his monks in Vietnam, during the war, it encourages the reader to focus in the here and now – a book on insights and meditations which enable the reader develop greater calm, awareness and  mindfulness – essential reading

Living Buddha, Living Christ                Thich Nhat Hanh                                ISBN 0-7126-7281-8

Buddha and Christ, two pivotal figures in the history of humankind, each left behind a legacy of teachings and practices that have shaped billions of people over the course of two millennia.  But if these two were to meet on the road today, what would each think of the others’ spiritual views and practices?   Buddhist monk, poet and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Thich Nhat Hanh has been part of a decades-long dialogue between two of the world’s greatest living contemplative traditions – and brings to Christianity an appreciation of its beauty that could only be conveyed by an outsider.   In meditative prose, he invites us to explore the crossroads of compassion and holiness at which the two traditions meet, and reawakens our understanding of both.

Simple insights – a book that can be read in small pieces and reflected upon.  Not quite “The Miracle of Mindfullness” but an inspiring read nevertheless

Awareness                                           Anthony de Mello                      ISBN 0 00 627519 2

Awareness is Anthony de Mello’s best-selling guide to the spiritual life, now firmly established as a modern spiritual classic.  It uses humour, compassion and insight to help readers into an understanding of the importance of awareness in order to understand ourselves and the world around us.   With anecdotes and stories as well as guidelines and exercises in self-help, this book is filled with real wisdom and practical advice.  It tackles the universal issues of change, happiness, suffering and loss and also gives direction on coping with love, anger and fear.   One of the most gifted spiritual teachers of the 20^th Century, Anthony de Mello was widely known throughout the world for his retreats, workshops and therapy courses before his untimely death in 1987.

Essential reading – forthright, incredibly insightful, challenging and blunt – readable only in small chunks (there’s so much to digest) – the book is, in fact, excerpts from some of deMello’s renowned workshops.

Walking on Water                     Anthony de Mello                                  ISBN 185607 240 1

This is a book about reaching God in our own time – says Anthony de Mello.  As he moves us along the path, he blends Christian wisdom with Eastern methods of meditation and he draws widely on stories of monks, rabbis and soldiers, fairy tales and legends, gentle jokes and Zen sayings, along with numerous simple exercises.   Fresh, lively and absorbing, de Mello’s extraordinary insights into the reality of human living and its divine origins and destination will come as a breath of fresh air and encouragement to everyone who seeks meaning and purpose in our turbulent world.

A book peppered with insightful anecdotes and meditations – read a little at a time

Sadhana – A Way to God                      Anthony de Mello                      ISBN 0-7648-0170-8

A compilation of de Mello’s exercises as devised and used by him in his many retreats and workshops – designed to enhance meditation, awareness and enlightenment.  This book was compiled for use by fellow Jesuits or those interested in either pursuing awareness on their own account or for those organising similar workshops or retreats.   A most unusual and insightful work – exploring areas one would not associate with de Mello’s Jesuit background, the book is a synthesis of eastern and western wisdom – it’s subtitle is ‘Christian Exercises in Eastern Form’.

A handbook of exercises and meditations which, given its origins, are distinctly Christian. 

Awakening to the Sacred                      Lama Surya Das                        ISBN 0-553-81295-5

In this inspiring book, Lama Surya Das emphasises that we are all, by nature, spiritual beings and that our lives are naturally filled with sacred moments.  Here, as he integrates essential Buddhist practices with a variety of other spiritual philosophies and wisdom traditions, he shows us how to create a personalised spiritual practice based on our individual beliefs, aspirations and needs.   Through reflections on his own life quest, essays and entertaining stories, Surya Das also examines the common themes at the heart of any spiritual path, including faith, doubt, love and compassion and explores prayer, yoga, guided meditations and a host of other rituals that we can use each day to nurture our inner spirit. Accessible, practical and written with warmth and humour, this book illuminates the natural meditations already present in daily life and awakens our hearts and minds as we progress towards inner peace, happiness and enlightenment.

Excellent, insightful, practical – pick and choose the bits that turn you on.

The Game of Life and How to Play It    Florence Scovel-Shinn   ISBN 0 85207 325 9

Many thousands of people owe a great deal to this little book, because it has taught them that life it not a battle but a game.  The rules for the game are set out in the Old and New Testaments.  It is a game of giving and receiving.  Jesus Christ taught that ‘whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap’.  This simply means that whatever a man sends out in words or deeds he will eventually have returned to him.   We are also taught that visualisation plays a leading part in the game of life.  What a man imagines sooner or later externalises in his affairs.  This book shows how everyone can change their conditions and circumstances by guarding how he thinks and what he says.

Drawing on anecdotes from her own practice and the Bible, Scovel-Shinn wrote this wonderful, simple and highly practical “user’s manual” over 80 years ago.   Still a best-seller – that speaks for itself.

The Secret                    Rhonda Byrne                           ISBN 9-781847-37092

It has been passed down through the ages, highly coveted, hidden, lost, stolen and bought for vast sums of money.   This centuries-old Secret has been understood by some of the most prominent people in history: Plato, Galileo, Beethoven, Edison, Carnegie, Einstein – along with other inventors, theologians, scientists and great thinkers.   Now The Secret is being revealed to the world.   As you learn The Secret, you will come to know how you can have, be or do anything you want.  You will come to know who you really are.  You will come to know the true magnificence that awaits you in life.

A refreshing retake on how the world really works – and how to get the most out of life – not necessarily for those new to the subject

The Power of Kabbalah                        Yehuda Berg                             ISBN 0-340-82668-1

Imagine your life filled with an unending joy, purpose and contentment.  Imagine your days infused with pure insight and energy.   This is the power of Kabbalah.   It is the path from momentary pleasure that most of us settle for to the lasting fulfilment that is yours to claim.   Your deepest desires are waiting to be realised.  But they are not limited to the temporary rush from closing a business deal, the short-term high of drugs, or a passionate sexual relationship that lasts only a few short months.  The wonder and wisdom of Kabbalah has influenced the world’s leading spiritual, philosophical, religious and scientific minds.  Until today, however, it has been hidden away in ancient texts, available only to scholars who knew where to look.   Now, after many centuries, The Power of Kabbalah resides right here in this one remarkable book.   Here, at long last, is the complete and simple path – actions that you can take right now to create the life you desire and deserve.

Ancient wisdom from the occult Judaic tradition of the Cabal – insights on spirituality, life and even the universe.  Don’t let Madonna’s testimonial put you off!

The Zohar Pritzker Edition                   Daniel C. Matt                           ISBN 0-8047-4747-4

Sefer ha-Zohar – The Book of Radiance has amazed and overwhelmed readers ever since it emerged mysteriously in medieval Spain toward the end of the 13^th. century.  Written in unique Aramaic, this masterpiece of Kabbalah exceeds the dimensions of a normal book; it is virtually a body of literature, comprising over twenty discrete sections.  Th ebulk of the Zohar consists of a running commentary of the Torah, from Genesis through Deuteronomy.  This translation begins and focuses there – in what are projected to be ten volumes.  Two subsequent volumes will cover other, shorter sections.  Volume One includes the Zohar’s original introduction to the work along with explication of the stories of Creation, Adam and Eve and Noah’s Ark.  There is also an introduction by Arthur Green that traces the development of the Kabbalah and the historical and literary significance of the Zohar, and a translator’s introduction by Daniel Matt describing how he was able to establish the Aramaic text and offering suggestions as to “How to Read the Zohar”.

Not for the faint-hearted – the first of ten volumes that are currently being translated from Aramaic by a team at Stanford University – a book of secret wisdom (perhaps in the tradition of the Bible’s Book of Revelation) – can be difficult to get into.

The Wisdom of Jesus               One World                                ISBN 1-85168-225-2

The wisdom of Jesus is as relevant today as it has ever been, his words speak of love, social justice and personal morality.  The simplicity of his stories bears a direct message from God to the heart of humanity, telling of hope and forgiveness and making the rewards of the kingdom of heaven available to all.   Gathering together the most profound passages from the Gospels and the New Testament, this exquisite anthology crystallises the wisdom of Jesus into a single volume.  The most instructive parables, gems of wisdom and most memorable deeds are united here in a timeless source of spiritual enlightenment.

Excerpts from the Gospels of Jesus’ sayings – grouped by subject – profound wisdom in easily accessible format.

The Gospel of Thomas             Richard Valanasis                      ISBN 0-415-11622-8

For the first time, this volume offers a detailed commentary on the Gospel of Thomas, a work which has previously been accessible only to theologians and scholars.  Valantasis provides a fresh reading of the Coptic and Greeks texts, with an illuminating commentary.   He includes a general introduction outlining the debates of previous scholars and situating the Gospel in its historical and theological contexts.   This book provides an insight into a previously inaccessible text and presents Thomas’ Gospel as an integral part of the library of early Christian writings, which can inform us further about the literature of the Judeo-Christian tradition and early Christianity.

The so-called “fifth gospel” reproduced in full, consisting of 114 sayings.  The book has an academic commentary on each saying – I prefer to just read the sayings and let them sink in.   Almost Zen-like.

Feng Shui for the Body                        Daniel Santos                           ISBN 0-8356-0762-3

This breakthrough book by a master acupuncturist, healer and Doctor of Oriental Medicine applies the principles of Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of energy flow, to the most intimate house we inhabit – the human body.   As he learns the inners secrets of Feng Shui from three engaging teachers, Daniel Santos shows us how to use the “Four Motions” – body movement, breath, eye movement and sound – to maximise the flow of healthful life energy.  Postures, simple exercises and innovative meditations as well as a fascinating story of personal discovery offer fresh insights into the body-mind healing.

Don’t let the title put you off – this is an excellent book exploring the ways in which we can access our inner selves.  The author uses a fictional narrative for this purpose – I think it works really well.

The Minding of Planet Earth                 Cardinal Cathal Daly                  ISBN 1-85390-579-8

Eminent theologian, Cathal Daly addresses the relationship between religion and science, asserting that they are complimentary, not contradictory – both are needed for a completely satisfactory explanation of the world.   There is an intentional play on words in the title – ‘minding’ referring firstly to the fact that humans, using their mind, can find traces of mind in patterns of order and law in the universe.  Using the same reason, we can conclude that the mind and those patterns in the universe have a common source in the creative mind of God.   ‘Minding’ also means ‘taking care of’.  God fives humans a share in His own minding of the planet – he places them in the world with a duty of care for earth and its inhabitants.  The book pleads passionately for peace, for fair conditions of world trade and for a more equitable sharing of the world’s resources.  It pleads powerfully for a responsible use of the earth’s limited resources.  The author puts the case for world development aid and reduction of debt burden for poorer countries, insisting that these issues must be faced with urgency if catastrophes on a cosmic scale are to be averted.  Yet, the book’s message is one of hope.  It celebrates the beauty of the universe, which is a reflection of the beauty of God.

Excellent – quoted by me on every workshop – an incredibly lucid account of the importance of the here and now – and important reflections on how we might be a little more caring about the planet we share.

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success               Deepak Chopra             ISBN 0-593-04083-X

Chopra offers a life-altering perspective on the attainment of success:  Once we understand our true nature and learn to live in harmony with the natural law, a sense of well-being, good health, fulfilling relationships, energy and enthusiasm for life and material abundance will spring forth easily and effortlessly.   Filled with timeless wisdom and practical steps you can apply right away, this is a book you will want to read and refer to again and again.

A short, simple and practical book – clearly stating how we can live contentedly.

Although we experience our bodies as solid, they are in fact more like fires that are constantly being consumed and renewed.  We grow new stomach linings every five days, for instance; our skin is new every five weeks; each year, ninety-eight percent of the total number of atoms in our bodies is replaced.   Ayurveda gives us the tools to intervene at this quantum level, where we are being created anew each day.   It also reveals how freedom from sickness depends on contacting our own awareness, bringing it into balance and then extending that balance to the body.  Perfect Health provides a complete step-by-step programme of mind-body medicine tailored to individual needs.   A quiz identifies the reader’s mind-body type – it is the body type that forms the basis of a specific Ayurvedic programme of diet, stress reduction, neuromuscular integration, exercise, and daily routines.  The result is a total health plan that will re-establish the body’s essential balance with nature, strengthen the mind-body connection and use the power of quantum healing to transcend the ordinary limitations of disease and aging.

Fusing molecular science and ancient Eastern mysticism, Chopra proposes an action plan for “Perfect Health” – can be heavy going but, in my view, Chopra’s always worth reading.

Synchrodestiny                                    Deepak Chopra                                     ISBN 184413221-8

Chopra shows how coincidences are messages about the miraculous potential of each moment.   He reveals how, through understanding the forces that shape coincidences, you can learn to live life at a deeper level and access the flow of synchronicity that lies at the heart of existence.   You can start to transform your life through full-contact living, in which all things will be within your reach.   The seeds of a perfect destiny lie within you – this book will show you how to release this potential and live a life more wondrous than dreams.

Chopra explains and illustrates the manner in which coincidence or synchronicity act in our lives – to bring about the life that is best for us.   The second half of the book contains a number of suggested exercises which might not be everyone’s “cup of tea”!

Travelling Light                                    Daniel J. O’Leary                       ISBN 1-85607-319-X

There are two questions to ask yourself.  Do you feel a call to deepen your life, to live more freely, to be more happy?   And the second is, are you prepared to take the time and the trouble to discover this new way of living, and to enjoy it forever? The aim of this book is to empower you to respond “Yes” to both these questions.   It takes courage and trust to take the first step.   There will be voices within and without telling you to wait, or that you haven’t got what it takes, or to forget it.   But is you are ready, the way is already being prepared for you!  What is essential is this – to keep trusting and letting go, to stay open and vulnerable, to live only in the present moment of your journey.   That is all and that is enough.  The superabundant life follows.  And the travelling is everything.

A beautiful book, written in an ambling style – insights and practical advice on how to “just let go”!

The Book of Stress Survival                 Alix Kirsta                                 ISBN 0-04-132022-0

A most useful and comprehensive reference work on stress management.   Not only does it examine the causes and effects of stress, it also shows how to pinpoint and reduce the stress in your life.   With clear step-by-step instructions and illustrations, the book takes you through meditation and relaxation exercises to yoga and massage – essential skills for developing a stress-free lifestyle.

Almost a workbook – some very helpful hints on how to calm down.

The Power of Now                                Eckhart Tolle                             ISBN 0-340-73350-0

To make the journey into The Power of Now we will need to leave our analytical mind an ego behind.   From the first chapter we move into a significantly higher altitude where one breathes the air of the spiritual.  Although the journey is challenging, Tolle offers simple language and a question and answer format to guide us.  The words themselves are the signposts.   For many of us there are new discoveries to be made along the way.   We are not our mind; we can find out way out of psychological pain; authentic human power is found by surrendering to the Now.  We also find out that the body is one of the keys to entering inner peace, as are the silence and space around us.   These access points can all be used to bring us into the Now, the present moment, where problems do not exist.  It is here we discover that we are already complete and perfect.  If we are able to be fully present and take each step in the Now; if we are able to feel the reality of such thinigs as the inner-body, surrender, forgiveness, and the unmanifested, we will be opening ourselves to the transforming experience of The Power of Now.

Viewed by many as a classic, I believe it requires of the reader a good deal of background knowledge on its subject, prior to starting to read it.  Not light reading – but well worth the effort.

The New Revelations                Neale Donald Walsch                ISBN 0-340-82588-X

Walsch offers solutions to the aggression and dogma troubling the world.   He also reveals the fallacies that exist around us – fallacies that have created a world of widespread violence, excessive loss, deep-rooted anger and unrelenting terror.  We cannot change these conditions by political or economic means – we must do it by confronting these fallacies and choosing instead the Five Steps to Peace.   Walsch’s relevant and urgent message speaks directly to those searching for ways to understand the crisis the world is facing.   Most importantly, it shows us all that change is possible and offers an insight, inspiration and essential advice on how we can not only avoid despair but help to repair the world.

One of Walsch’s many books – the only one I’ve read – a big book that can be dipped into – always food for reflection.

Journey of Souls                                  Michael Newton PdD                 ISBN 1-56718-485-5

This remarkable book uncovers the mystery of life in the spirit world after death on earth.  Dr. Newton, a hypnotherapist in private practice, has developed his own techniques to reach his subjects’ hidden memories of the hereafter.   The resulting narrative acts as a progressive “travel log” of the accounts of twenty nine people who were placed in a state of superconsciousness.   While in deep hypnosis, these subjects movingly describe what has happened to them between their former reincarnations on earth.  They reveal graphic details about how it feels to die, who meets us right after death, what the spirit world is really like, where we go and what we do as souls and why we choose to come back in certain bodies.   After reading Journey of Souls, you will gain a better understanding of the immortality of the human soul and you will meet day-to-day personal challenges with a greater sense of purpose as you begin to understand the reasons behind events in your own life.

If you want to explore the subject of “the spirit world” – based on rigorous research of subjects manifesting past life experiences, the book focuses on the subjects’ recollections of their time between lives.   In my view, could have been better written – but for those interested in this area, worth looking into.

Coming to Our Senses             Jon Kabat-Zinn                         ISBN 9-780749-925888

As stress continues to exact a toll on everyday life, we are increasingly turning to ancient meditative methods which have been tested by science to enable us reduce that stress and become more focused and healthy in our everyday lives.  The author has been. For decades, at the forefront of the mind/body movement and the subsequent revolution in medicine and healthcare, both de-mystifying it and bringing it into the mainstream.  He shares his belief that every human has the capacity to mobilise deep, innate resources for continual learning, growing, healing and transformation, through mindfulness.  Woven into eight parts, the book uses anecdotes from the author’s own life experiences and work to illustrate the realm of healing possibilities.  This book offers a remarkable insight into how the use of the five senses – touch, hearing, sight, taste and smell – as a path to a healthier, saner and more meaningful life.

See, feel, hear, smell and taste it!   A large volume that explores our ability to get in touch with reality – by coming to our senses!

Embraced by the Light             Betty J. Eadie                           ISBN 1-85538-439-6

Betty Eadie died after an operation but was later to recover.  It was during the intervening period of a few hours that she had what has been described as ‘the most profound near death experience ever’.  Her description of her experience in this astonishing book is one of the most convincing arguments for the existence of life after death.   You will not fail to be moved by Betty’s story.  A devoted mother with a loving family, she saw more perhaps than anyone has ever seen before and came back with an almost photographic view.  Embraced by the Light recounts the people she met, the truths she learned and the magnificent realities of the spirit world.  The message she was given has filled countless people with hope and her experiences changed her life forever. 

A small book recounting the author’s “near death experience” – if this is something you wish to explore, this book makes the subject easily accessible

Heal Your Body                                    Louise L. Hay                            ISBN 1-870845-04-08

Heal Your Body will awaken within you the ability to contribute to your own healing process.  In clear, resonant language, Louise Hay shows us how to become whole and healthy, how we can balance the body, mind and spirit and take good care of our bodies.  She tells us how we can have a positive mental attitude about ourselves and about life.  This, balanced with a strong spiritual connection, will give us joy in living.   The book does not ‘heal’ anyone itself!  No doctor, nor health practitioner can help us unless we choose to take part in our healing process.   This little book shows us how.

Short and to the point – again, how our health and happiness is in our own hands.  Very accessible and simple.

Your Life is in Your Hands                   Krishan Chopra                         ISBN 1-86204-500-3

In this life-changing book Krishan Chopra draws upon his vast medical expertise and the wisdom of ancient India to offer us practical advice on how to restore your mind, body and spirit to harmony, including guidance on the epidemic of stress in today’s world and how to counter it; ways in which an improved lifestyle can guard against such conditions as heart disease and cancer; the benefits of the right diet for a longer life; the immense powers of positive thinking, meditation an d prayer and how to add a spiritual dimension to our everyday lives.   Dr. Chopra draws upon the family wisdom that has inspired his son, the health-writer Deepak Chopra.  He illustrates his discussion with a wealth of anecdotes vibrant with the richness and grounded in modern science.

A large book of anecdotes and insights into how our health and happiness is really up to us.  Can be read in bits and pieces.

The Inner Game of Tennis                    W. Timothy Galway                    ISBN 0 330 295136

The Inner Game of Tennis is that which takes place in your mind, played against such elusive opponents as nervousness, self-doubt and lapses of concentration.  It is a game played by our mind against its own bad habits.  Replacing one pattern of behaviour with a new, more positive one is the purpose of the Inner Game.   Peak performance at any sport only comes when our mind is so focused that it is still and at one with what our body is doing.  The key to the Inner Game is achieving this state of relaxed concentration so that we are playing out of our mind and not worrying about how, when or where to hit the ball.     Also by this author – “The Inner Game of Golf”

Psychology for sport – and life.   Many golfers and tennis players swear by Galway’s advice.

Tai Chi for Relaxation and Good Health            Wagland and Ip    DVD Ref 7-321900-998673

Hun Yuan Tai Chi 24 Form isi the union of internal energy with the physical body.  Once you have learned the twenty four movements, the whole sequence takes only eight minutes and can be easily fit into a busy schedule.  This DVD contains over twelve hours of exercise sequences to help you perfect your understanding of the Form and movement.

A really accessible DIY DVD for anyone wishing to explore and practice the branch of Tai Chi devoted to harmonising and raising our vital energy.

Man’s Search for Meaning                    Viktor E. Frankl                                     ISBN 0-671-02337-3

Internationally renowned psychiatrist Frank endured years of unspeakable horror in Nazi death camps.   During and partly because of his suffering, he developed a revolutionary approach to psychotherapy known as logotherapy.   At the core of this theory is the belief that man’s primary motivational force is his search for meaning.  Cited in Dr. Frankl’s New York Times obituary in 1997 as “an enduring work of survival literature”, this book is more than his story: it is a remarkable blend of science and humanism and “an introduction to the most significant psychological movement of our day” (Gordon W. Allport)

Maybe “normal” people are right when they think that “not too bad” is OK!   A short but very heavy read – the first half of the book recounts Frankl’s time in Nazi concentration camps – and how the experience honed the mind and spirit of those that endured such physical and psychological pain.  The second half of the book goes into some detail on Frankl’s psychological theories which he developed after the War.   Worth reading for the first half.