Bøger udgivet af North Atlantic Books,U.S.

Seeking to reconcile the split between our inner child and our adult self, eminent philosopher and religious scholar Jacob Needleman evokes the ancient spiritual tradition of a deep dialogue between a guiding wisdom figure and a seeker. The elder offers an initiation to a younger self, an initiation the author feels is missing from our culture. Rendered as a stage play, the conversation between the 80-year-old author and his younger selves unfolds, and an ambiguity emerges as to whether this is strictly the author’s internal dialogue or whether the younger self may be nurturing a rebirth of the author.  On one level, I Am Not I brings younger readers (teenagers and young adults) face to face with powerful spiritual and philosophical ideas. But as the book progresses, the dialogue delves into questions and insights that carry astonishing new hope and vision for every man and woman, challenging our culture’s accepted—and often toxic—ideas about humanity’s place in a living universe.

More than ten years in the making, this volume of 87 new poems by Steve Luttrell, former poet laureate of Portland, Maine, conjures the beauty of the New England Coast and the enduring power of nature. In sparse, accessible verse, the poet evokes the wild Maine landscape--the rocks and wildlife, the shifting planets, and the surging waters--at the same time that he casts an observant eye on his fellow creatures. He deftly melds the eternal and the transitory, the extraordinary and the routine in lines such as, "the light of long/dead stars/and the dogs/sleeping/under the bed." He imbues the small routines of daily life with quiet significance and casts the enormity of the cosmos to human scale.Luttrell is the founder and publishing editor of the acclaimed Café Review, which has published for a remarkable 25 years and printed the work of twelve Pulitzer Prize winners. He hosts his own TV Show (Poet''s Café), and has run the historical Portland Club, giving him a strong presence in the region and a large following among New England poets and writers. His intimate, unassuming voice is driven by a musician''s sense of rhythm and a deceptive simplicity: "and the ships/at anchor/an emblem of/waiting/but March/is a time/of endurance/and the channel/waters deep/so waiting is/what we will do/knowing/there can be no/other way." The author has published five chapbooks and six major editions of poetry, including Home Movies, Conditions, The Vagaries: A Winter''s Sequence, and Pemaquid and Other Poems. Plumb Line secures Luttell''s place as an important voice in contemporary poetry.

Andy Couturier captures the texture of sustainable lives well lived in these ten profiles of ordinary-yet exceptional-men and women who left behind mainstream existences in urban Japan to live surrounded by the luxuries of nature, art, friends, delicious food, and an abundance of time. Drawing on traditional Eastern spiritual wisdom and culture, these pioneers describe the profound personal transformations they underwent as they escaped the stress, consumerism, busyness, and dependence on technology of modern life. This intimate and evocative book tells of their fulfilling lives as artists, philosophers, and farmers who rely on themselves for happiness and sustenance. By inviting readers to enter into the essence of these individuals' days, Couturier shows us how we too can bring more meaning and richness to our own lives.

Based on meditation practices Phillip Moffitt learned twenty years ago from Himalayan yoga master Sri Swami Balyogi Premvarni, this beautifully illustrated book is a guide to exploring the nature of mind and gaining a better understanding of experiences that arise during meditation. The Nine Bodies teachings map out a journey that starts with consciousness that arises in the physical body and is directly observable, and then travels through ever more subtle levels of consciousness to that which is not manifest and is only potential, and therefore has to be inferred. The book includes a series of mysterious illustrations that Balyogi created during his time of intense Samadhi explorations. Each illustration is a rich composition of symbols that express aspects of inner experiences that are almost impossible to express with language.Moffitt makes these teachings available for meditation students from all spiritual traditions to use as gateways for exploring the nature of mind and as additional means for tracking and classifying meditative experiences. Students of yoga will also find value in the teachings of the Nine Bodies as they provide a means for contextualizing and connecting with yogic teachings on chakras, koshas, gunas, and the Three Bodies.

Ori Hofmekler, acclaimed author of The Warrior Diet and one of the first proponents of intermittent fasting, challenges conventional wisdom about diet, fitness, and anti-aging with a new approach to health that uses stress to live longer, stay fit, and ward off fat. Supported by cutting-edge research, this book redefines the term "nutrition" as it reveals the stress-mimicking nutrients that yield the same benefits as fasting and exercising. At the core of the book is the biology of stress and the way it affects key aspects of life from feeding and sexual behavior to mental and physical performance. Hofmekler demonstrates that that there is a thin line between beneficial stress and harmful stress, and shows how to put knowledge of the difference into powerful practice. His book is a call to action--a manifesto of living life to its utmost evolutionary potential, under stress, as nature intended.

An inspirational guide for holistic family wellness, Sacred Medicine Cupboard presents seasonal insights, practical knowledge, recipes, projects, and journal prompts for a sacred medicine practice—broken down into 36 chapters. Beautifully designed, with an abundance of full-color photographs, this book cultivates skills and tools for readers navigating an increasingly complicated world. Organized by topic of the week, such as Awakening, Blossom, Spicy, Glow, and Rest, Sacred Medicine Cupboard provides a treasury of tools—from medicinal teas and elixirs to sacred practices to creative projects—to nurture and rejuvenate the entire family, along with journaling spaces at the end of each section to write, reflect, and develop a way of life rooted in peace and natural health. Anni Daulter has teamed up with Jessica Booth and Jessica Smithson, who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the narrative. They share a commitment to encouraging mothers to practice their own skills, listen to their innate knowing, and explore redefining what health and wellbeing mean for their family. The practical tips and creative ideas presented here put readers back in touch with simple time-tested practices that bring wholeness and wellbeing out of the cupboard. Medicine, they show, can be a well-timed hug, a reassuring hand, or a thoughtfully prepared meal. Echoing the core tenets of the Sacred Living Movement, this book reveals the power and insight we possess when our body, mind, and soul communicate in harmony.

This user-friendly guide gives straightforward and practical advice to anyone who wants a holistic approach to taking care of themselves naturally. Following the traditional framework of an anatomy book that explains each body system chapter-by-chapter, Pip Waller—an experienced practitioner and teacher—provides fundamental information and tips about exercise, diet, supplements, understanding and caring for your emotional and mental health, naturopathic principles from various traditions, and simple yet effective ways of working with spiritual energy. Based on the premise that an underlying vital force—which needs to be in balance for health to be fully present—animates all life, this book is designed to support and promote our inherent tendency toward wholeness and equilibrium. Each chapter includes fun recipes to enhance health and well-being.

When working with trauma and chronic health issues, it can often seem like the healing process gets stuck or is producing only minimal progress. In this groundbreaking book, clinical psychologist Jim Morningstar, PhD, shows therapists, bodyworkers, and other health care professionals how to achieve remarkable breakthroughs with their clients using the power of Therapeutic Breathwork.   Unlike more commonly known mindfulness breathwork techniques—which typically only involve slower-than-normal breathing—Therapeutic Breathwork is designed to also include faster-than-normal breathing (35–75 breaths per minute) to enervate the sympathetic nervous system. This is especially useful in helping to release blocks that arise while working through difficult emotional issues, including PTSD, addiction, depression, and anxiety. While traditional talk therapy can take many years, sometimes decades, to produce minimal relief, Therapeutic Breathwork can help facilitate astonishing breakthroughs within a single session. Morningstar explains how therapists can reinforce these breakthroughs with additional techniques for self-regulation, dramatically reducing recovery time and often resolving challenges that might never have been worked through in standard practice. Break Through with Breathwork is an accessible and thorough introduction to one of the most powerful tools in supporting health and wellbeing, reducing stress, and stimulating deep emotional and spiritual growth.

Twenty plants, including familiar trees like the aspen, birch, spruce, and poplar, as well as lesser-known plants like Labrador tea, cow parsnip, and buffalo berry, form the soul of herbalist Robert Rogers’s medicine kit. Herbal Allies chronicles the journey that led Rogers to become an herbalist and shares his deep knowledge of the plants that shaped his practice. The author weaves personal experience, observations, knowledge from indigenous healers, and many years of expertise from his practice as a professional herbalist and clinical professor to present a unique and fascinating narrative that not only limns one man''s vital connection to plants but also provides invaluable information on effectively using plant medicine for the prevention and treatment of a variety of health conditions.

The Abhidharma, one of the three major text collections of the original Buddhist canon, frames the psychological system of Buddhism, explaining the workings of reality and the nature of the human mind. It is composed of detailed matrixes and lists that outline the interaction of consciousness and reality, the essence of perception and experience, and the reasons and methods behind mindfulness and meditation. Because of its complexity, the Abhidharma has traditionally been reserved only for academic or monastic study; now, for the first time, clinical psychologist Beth Jacobs brings this dynamic body of work to general readers, using practical explanation, personal stories, and vivid examples to gently untangle the technical aspects of the Abhidharma. Drawing on decades of experience as both a therapist and a Buddhist, Jacobs illuminates this classic area of Buddhist thought, highlighting the ways it can broaden and deepen our experience of the human psyche and offering profound insights into spiritual practice.

Sacred Relationship is a practical and spiritual guide and journal for couples to rekindle the love spark that started their fires and to maintain a steady heat for years to come. Following the format of Anni Daulter’s popular Sacred Series books, it is beautifully designed and illustrated, with chapters focusing on thirty-two weeks—each with meditations and exercises on topics that couples are likely to encounter on their journey together. Husband-and-wife team Anni and Tim Daulter offer both useful tips and creative ideas for enriching life together, and the weekly encounters provide couples with helpful information and thoughtful prompts for journaling that invite both members of the couple to take an intentional look at the relationship and adopt a practice of personal reflection and soul nourishment. As anyone in a long-term relationship knows, the intense high that accompanies the beginning of love can fade over time unless the relationship receives proper care and attention. Sacred Relationship shows how intentional love brings more happiness, deeper joy, and greater fulfillment than the initial love spell and can steer each member of the couple into more profound personal growth. The book serves as a toolkit with answers to a wide variety of relationship questions and as a handbook for crafting daily practices that will raise the vibration of the relationship. Parents will find solace in topics that shed light on maintaining loving relationships, sex, and passion once children join the family. Busy couples who want to discover more about themselves and each other, find soulful solutions to everyday issues, and nourish a healthy and happy relationship year after year will find an invaluable resource in this book.

In this intimate memoir, Perry A. Ulander chronicles with powerful clarity the bewildering predicament he confronted and the fellowship and guidance that transformed him during the year he served as an American GI in the jungles of Vietnam. Conveying with unadorned precision the harrowing experiences that shatter his core beliefs, Ulander also captures the camaraderie and humor of his platoon, the hostility between "lifers" and draftees, the physical hardships of reconnaissance missions, and the unrelenting apprehension underlying everyday life. Ultimately, he describes the surrendering of social norms and accepted identities that allows him to glimpse a previously unimagined realm of heightened awareness. Written after a lifetime of reflection on the nature of war and the effect of violence and domination on the minds and spirits of those forced to practice it, Walking Point offers a powerful narrative for readers with an interest in the effects of war and violence, American involvement in Vietnam, PTSD, and how trauma can be a catalyst for spiritual transformation. Giving voice to profound insights gained through extreme adversity, Ulander movingly captures the depth of trust and commitment among a group of unwitting warriors who struggle to stay alive and sane in unchartered territory. Contents CHAPTER 1: Into the Unknown CHAPTER 2: The Magic Poncho Liner CHAPTER 3: Initiation CHAPTER 4: Head On CHAPTER 5: The Valley of the Shadow CHAPTER 6: Into the Light CHAPTER 7: Short Time CHAPTER 8: No Time CHAPTER 9: Home

Drawing on ideas from classical military strategy, the Yijing (Book of Changes), and Chinese martial arts theory, Tom Bisio presents a fascinating exploration of how insights from these sources can be deployed to manage crisis situations in all aspects of our daily lives. Suggesting approaches for cultivating a strategic mindset that can be applied to one's relationships, work, and personal self-fulfillment, Beyond the Battleground offers methods of adapting to circumstances, conserving one's own resources, and avoiding or dissolving conflict that will aid any reader navigating the uncertainties of the changing world, including the business person, military theorist, or martial artist. Deftly interweaving his background in East Asian philosophy and history and his career in traditional Chinese medicine with his lifelong interest in the martial arts and military science, Bisio also presents examples of successful strategies from history's great commanders such as Sunzi, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Mao Zedong.

Internationally known herbalist Matthew Wood takes the guesswork out of the application of medicinal plants and provides an invaluable cross-reference of constitutional types, energetic categories, and specific symptoms that helps the herbalist narrow down the number of possible remedies for a specific condition. Unlike many reference books in which medicinal plants are defined simply by condition or disease name, this book contains tools to differentiate between remedies and analyze each case in a holistic fashion. While this system of cross-referencing is well known to homeopaths, it is less frequently used by herbalists; The Earthwise Herbal Repertory seeks to bridge the gap between different systems, incorporating knowledge from ancient Greek and traditional Native American medicine, nineteenth-century botanical medicine, homeopathy, and modern biomedical research. This definitive repertory proves useful for homeopaths and herbalists, professionals and home practitioners alike.

Award-winning social entrepreneur and permaculturalist Adam Brock draws from ecology, sociology, community economics, social justice, and indigenous practices the world over to present more than eighty proven solutions for building healthy communities. Using the "pattern language" framework developed by architect Christopher Alexander and his colleagues in the 1970s, Brock outlines strategies for redesigning our social and economic systems to mimic nature''s resilience and abundance.  Practical, innovative, and visually compelling, this book presents actionable and easy-to-understand tools for a compassionate and methodical approach to building better communities. Sidebars and diagrams supplement the text, while case studies illustrate endeavors such as starting a business, launching a social change project, or setting personal goals. Brock suggests ways to engage disempowered communities in a meaningful and authentic way, and draws on eight years of in-depth research and investigation to demonstrate what makes communities work at the most fundamental level. Anyone looking for concrete solutions to many of the social and economic ills that plague our current society will discover a rich resource for growth and change.

Matthew Fox's stirring autobiography, Confessions, reveals his personal, intellectual, and spiritual journey from altar boy, to Dominican priest, to his eventual break with the Vatican. Five new chapters in this revised and updated edition bring added perspective in light of the author's continued journey, and his reflections on the current changes taking place in the Catholic church. Instead of living out his vows as a Dominican brother Matthew Fox was expelled from the Order after 34 years by Cardinal Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI. Fox took this as a warning from the Church that henceforth thinkers should not think, but get in line. It is from this anti-intellectual, inquisition-style mentality that the cover-up of priestly pedophilia also grew as the Vatican appointed several generations of bishops and cardinals whose only criterion for selection was that they be uncritical yes-men. Confessions tells the inside story of what it was like "standing in front of the train" when the Vatican was on the attack. It also reflects on the meaning of the encouragingly healthy papacy of Pope Francis, but holds little hope for the institutional church. Rather, this book points to the main interest and accomplishments of the author's work to bring spirituality and prophetic warriorhood alive again in society and religion. Fox draws inspiration from great mystics of the past, such as Hildegard of Bingen (a champion of the Divine Feminine) and Meister Eckhart (a profoundly mystical and ecumenical champion of those without a voice), and the return of the archetype of the Cosmic Christ alongside the teachings of the historical Jesus and the bringing forth of the wisdom traditions from all the world's spiritual traditions to stand up for eco-justice, gender justice, economic justice and social justice.

In a book that reframes the mental health debate, Robert L. Gallon challenges the widely-held notion that mental disorders are medical diseases. Drawing on his extensive experience as a psychologist who has worked with thousands of patients, he argues that there are no objective indicators of mental disorders and therefore no way of drawing a distinct line between people who have them and people who don't. He outlines an alternative to the disease model defined by nine dimensions of dysfunction that encompass the range of human dysfunctions typically classified as mental disorders. He explains the origin of these problems, not as chemical imbalances and genetic abnormalities, but as the complex interaction of biological, psychological and social factors, called the Biopsychosocial model. Gallon explains the history of psychiatry and how it came to develop a medical model that codifies mental disorders in the psychiatric bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), now in its fifth edition. He demonstrates how, in 1950s and 1960s when the miracle psychiatric drugs came on the market, it was to the great economic advantage of both pharmaceutical companies and psychiatrists to describe people's problems in the language of medicine. His alternative to this disease model suggests descriptive types--Reality Misperception, Mood Dysfunction, Anxiety, Cognitive Competence, Social Competence, Somatoform Dysfunction, Substance Dependence, Motivation and Impulse Control, and Socialization Dysfunction--that we can construct to discuss the kinds and severities of problems people experience. These are not discrete abnormalities, but are sorts of dysfunction that can be placed on dimensions of dysfunction. Table of Contents Part I History of Madness 1. Introduction and Some Definitions 2. How madness became Medical 3. The Rise of Psychiatric Diagnosis 4. An Alternative Model Part II Dimensions of Madness 5. Reality Misperception 6. Mood Dysfunction 7. Anxiety 8. Cognitive Competence 9. Social Competence 10. Somatoform Dysfunction 11. Substance Dependence 12. Motivation and Impulse Control 13. Socialization Dysfunction Part III Treatment and Other Issues 14. What is Mental Health Treatment? 15. The Future

The “trauma of childbirth” is a commonly heard phrase, but one that Calm Birth authoritatively counters. A resource for pregnant women and birth workers looking for empowering mind-body practices for a healthier kind of birth, this edition, revised with updated research and new material, shows how we can restore childbirth to its sacred status. The Calm Birth method, based on successful programs of the Harvard Medical School and the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, combines three proven practices—relaxation, meditation, and healing—with current scientific knowledge to nurture the expectant mother’s natural ability to give birth in true harmony with her body and her baby. Newman contextualizes the multilayered method within the existing literature of mind-body medicine and meditation science, as well as the meditation traditions from which two of the methods originate. In eight inspiring case studies of women who have experienced calm births, the author complements the thoughts of renowned experts including Carlos Castaneda and Carolyn Myss. With 25% new material, this revised edition contains a new foreword by Sandra Bardsley, updated research in the fields of meditation, birth, and the prenatal period, two new birth stories, three new chapters, and new photo documentation.