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BooksBooks I'm Reading Now... The Spark Inside What is wisdom? Some people call it intuition, a “sixth sense”, or just common sense...Wisdom is a formless intelligence that exists before human thought. Wisdom can occur to us as a thought, but what we experience most about wisdom is its deep feeling. Wisdom is a natural part of who we are...Wisdom can also be called a positive feeling, a relaxed mind, our natural ability to learn, creativity, love, our inner guide through life. Wisdom is what makes us creative and funny.”—page 20 Don’t knock it—it worked! Children’s nonfiction tends to cut to the chase with simplicity that facilitates easy understanding. Ami’s book, written for teens, is a shortcut to deepened understanding of the Principles of Mind, Consciousness and Thought, the ingredients from which we create our experience of life. I gave The Spark Inside to a client who wanted something about the Prinicples to share with his daughter; he came back a week later and aksed for copies of the book for himself and all his relatives, saying, “This book really helped me get a better grip on what you’ve been teaching, especially about wisdom." ‘Nough said.  Aging with Grace This book blew my mind! I highly suggest that every adult read it! The earlier in life, the better! If you haven’t heard of it, the Nun’s study is a 20+ year-long study of a women belonging to a Catholic religious community in North America who agreed to have their mental functioning measured across their lifespans and who also agreed to allow their brains to be autopsied at death. With exquisite warmth, the author brings the stories of these women to life and imbues the biological and psychological details with depth, color, and compassion. What can we learn from their stories and this book? ...a lifestyle replete with physical activity, creative pursuits and a healthy, optimistic, loving state of mind offer significant protection against many of the ravages of age, including Alzheimer’s disease. No dry tome, this book, like a good novel, endears its characters to the reader.  Individual Differences in Posttraumatic Response Marilyn Bowman is a clinical neuropsychologist and professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. In this thoughtful, comprehensive book she raises provocative questions about the nature of stress. Although many experiences in life are certainly challenging and burdensome, Bowman’s fascinating review of theory and research points to the reality that nothing is experienced as EQUALLY stressful by every human being. What one person experiences as traumatic rolls like water off a duck’s back for another. Why is that? Bowman suggests that there are individual internal factors that explain both psychological resilience and psychological struggle. She also raises controversial and important questions about the limitations of current practices in psychotherapy and counseling, which are largely based on the notion that circumstances and events ARE inherently stressful. Such thinking creates a culture of victims when what we so need is empowered freedom from suffering. Personally, I wish Bowman would read the works of fellow British Columbian, Sydney Banks. Banks’ insights point to the answers to Bowman’s questions. Banks’ articulates a Principle-based psychology, which points to the notion that we create our experience of reality via three discoverable and universal Principles—Mind, Consciousness and Thought. His understanding is a paradigm-shifting breath of fresh air that sheds light on the inside-out nature of stress. Bowman sees THAT current theory doesn’t work; Banks shows HOW that is so.  Train Your MIND Change Your BRAIN If you thought your brain hardware was fixed, static and easily mappable and its software was, well, relatively hard to change, guess again! This easily readable book, formatted more like a novel than a scientific treatise, takes you inside the creative minds and labs of elite neuroscientsts who are pushing the outer limits of our understanding of the brain....and raising compelling questions about the nature of Mind. The content of this book was shaped by a series of forums between contemporary neuroscientists and noted Buddhists, most especially, the Dalai Lama. Although the book only explores in only a limited way fascinating questions about the Mind’s power to transcend biology, it does, nonetheless assault prevailing paradigms about brain biology. Very hopeful! My Favorite Books...The Enlightened Gardener Revisited I love this book for its clarity, focus and simplicity. In the tale, two American psychologists journey to England to visit a wise, funny, elder gardener who points the way to insights that help them understand their psychological experience of life. As their understanding deepens, the two experience life in a calmer, more peaceful, more loving and abundant way. Once I started it, I couldn’t put this book down, spurred forward by simply and beautifully stated wisdom like this, ”Our feelings are the barometer of the soul. They are the measure of our thinking. They let us know what mental weather we can expect; they let us know how we are faring in life.” Reading left me refreshed, quiet and in awe. I would trade the hundreds and hundreds of self-help and psychology books on my bookshelf for this book, and The Missing Link, also by Sydney Banks, in a heartbeat! The Missing Link: Reflections on Philosophy & Spirit In this book, Mr. Banks describes three principles – Mind, Thought and Consciousness – as the fundamental components, or building blocks, with which we create our entire experience of life. As we gain deeper awareness and understanding of these principles, we see life with a clarity that helps us live with ease, peace and love. A life-changing and remarkable little book, written as a series of thoughts organized by chapters like: The Duality of Life, Wisdom and Love & Forgiveness. I return to it over and over again when I lose my way. As I have begun to see these principles at work, my life and relationships are progressively happier and easier. For more information about Syd Banks, see www.sydneybanks.org. Wisdom For Life: Three Principles for Well-Being Elsie is a lovely, self-revealing and warm woman who’s done consulting and coaching all over the world. A reflection on three principles through which we create our experience of life, this book is remarkable in its simplicity, grace and heart-felt wisdom. Through examples, Elsie offers powerful glimpses of the transformational wisdom that can rise to the surface of consciousness when individuals and groups value creative silence and the power of beautiful feelings. For more information see www.3phd.net.  The Relationship Handbook This book stands apart from other relationship books on the market. It doesn’t analyze relationships, or teach you how to “do” them. Instead, it points toward ways to “BE” in intimate partnerships that naturally and easily help them flourish. Dr. Pransky offers pragmatic insights for keeping a warm, loving feeling, moment to moment, with those closest to you. For more information about Dr. Pranksy, see www.pandacc.com.  The Twelve Secrets of Highly Creative Women: A Portable Mentor “Portable Mentor” is a perfect subtitle for this book. This work is based on interviews with 45 creative and successful women, from which Gail gleaned her “secrets”. With a wealth of personal experience, the author has accessed a rich database of wisdom about the creative process in women. Anyone who values creativity will find this work a powerful “mentor” toward, deeper, fuller expressions of the Self. For more information about Gail, see www.creativesuccess.com.  Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype Simply put, a wonderful book on the psychology of women and their development. Dr. Estes is an inspiring voice of wisdom. In this book, she tells myths and stories from across the ages and shares her understanding of how, as metaphors, they inform our understanding of a creative, deeply authentic and wise life. Another book I return to over and over again for inspiration and delight.  Callings: Finding and Following An Authentic Life Mr. LeVoy’s writing is graceful, poetic and weaves together references related to life callings from many seekers, philosophers, writers, spiritual teachers and psychological experts. It’s not a fast read: for me, there were many “word points” where I just wanted to stop and think for awhile. I believe this is an inspiring book for anyone who dares to dream. For more information, see www.gregglevoy.com.
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