Links and Suggested Reading

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Qi - The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness

The International Magazine of Tai Chi (USA)

Mental Nutritionist Dr Ann Villiers speaking with Chief Instructor Brett Wagland on the Academy's DVD, Stress Relief in the Workplace with Tai Chi Exercises - scroll down to # 22

Falls Prevention through Tai Chi
– Less Fall, More Confidence
– Tai Chi Improves Knee Strength and Force Control

“What the Bleep do We Know!?”
Let the scientists (physicists, neurologists, anesthesiologists, physicians and molecular biologists) take you on an amazing journey of discovery!

The Spiritual Cinema Circle brings you movies such as, comedies, dramas and documentaries each month that will warm your heart, expand your mind and stir your soul. Unfortunately, these movies are not screened in cinemas.

Radio for the Soul
You’ll be able to listen to popular authors talking about their works and teachings. Included are authors such as, Dr Wayne Dyer, Caroline Myss, Cheryl Richardson, Dharma Singh Khalsa (M.D.), Gordon Smith, Doreen Virtue (Ph.D.), Marianne Williamson and many more.

Books & DVDs on Nutrition recommended by Dr. Andrew Morris

Blessed Herbs
Remove colon mucoid plaque and feel the difference in
well being!

Indulge in Romance

Jewellery and Watches of Distinction, including Yin Yang pieces

Suggested Reading & Links

DreamHealer : a True Story of Miracle Healing – Adam
DreamHealer 2 : a Guide to Healing and Self-Empowerment – Adam
The first book tells of Adam’s discovery of his healing abilities at the age of 16 and subsequent development. He cured rock legend, Ronnie Hawkins, of inoperable pancreatic cancer.

In DreamHealer 2, Adam’s skills as a healer have increased. He is able to give group treatment in workshops. Adam also shows you his visualisation techniques, with the use of a hologram, to tap into your own healing abilities.
Find out more about Adam's Amazing Talents

Winnie-The-Pooh on Success : in which you, Pooh and Friends Learn about the Most Important Subject of All – Roger E. Allen and Stephen D. Allen
Do you want to be successful? Do you want to achieve your goals? Everyone has different ideas about success and how to be successful. The authors of this little book will give you the tools necessary to attain your dreams. They will help you to know your own abilities and build goals around them. This new approach will help make your path to the top of your mountain easier and faster to follow. Endearing and informative!

The Journey – Brandon Bays
This is a story of courage, insight and self-healing. Despite doing everything right with good mental attitude, exercise and healthy diet, Brandon Bays was diagnosed with a football-sized tumour in her stomach. After much soul searching, she uncovered past emotional hurts which had contributed to her condition. Without drugs or surgery, she cured herself in six and a half weeks. In this book, she shares her transforming techniques with the readers.
More about Brandon Bays

The Relaxation Response – Herbert Benson, M.D.
Dr. Benson, a Harvard physician, has conducted scientific research for 30 years. Dr. Benson writes about the physical benefits derived from practising relaxation techniques, such as meditation. They range from lowering blood pressure to minimising heart disease.
The "Relaxation Response" Technique

Timeless Healing : the Power and Biology of Belief – Herbert Benson, M.D.
Dr. Benson explores the junction of objective science and the mystifying power of the human spirit. He explains how affirming beliefs makes a critical contribution to our physical health. Detailing the scientific evidence, Dr. Benson shows how anyone, along with a caring physician or healer, can tap into a reservoir of remembered wellness to affect and cure up to 90% of medical complaints.

Radical Gratitude and Other Lessons Learned in Siberia – Andrew Bienkowski and Mary Akers
At the age of five, Andrew Bienkowski and his family were banished to Siberia under the rule of Stalin. His grandfather chose to starve to death so that the rest of the family could survive. In this part memoir and part self-help book, Bienkowski shares the lessons he learnt growing up during this difficult period. Intertwined with stories, the 14 powerful lessons which include Radical Gratitude, Nurture Hope, A Sense of Humour, Empower Others, To Find Peace and Love Heals, inspire us to live a life of meaning, dignity and service to others. Be transformed by the healing power of radical gratitude, that is, being grateful for small gestures and even for the terrible things we experience in our lives.
View Andrew Bienkowski talks about Radical Gratitude

The Body has a Mind of Its Own : how body maps in your brain help you do (almost) everything better – Sandra Blakeslee and Matthew Blakeslee
Just as road maps enable you to reach your destination, body maps enable you to perform movements, from the simple task of picking up a cup to the more complex task of playing sports. The self is not restricted to the confines of your physical body. It extends into the space around you. For example, when you use a knife and fork, you can feel the hard and soft density of the food that you are cutting through these hard metals.

Contrary to what most people believe, the mind’s true foundations are derived from the sensations related to the skin and body, such as touch, temperature, pain, etc. All other senses, for example, visual, auditory, are secondary. The sum total of body maps enables you to move around in the world without constantly colliding with objects and gives you a solid sense of self. This book explains how you can tap into the power of body maps to enhance your sporting performance, musical skills, ability to cope with stress and even empathy.
Also available as an audiobook (unabridged).

Fearless Living – Rhonda Britten
In this book, Rhonda shows you how to get off the "Wheel of Fear" and on to the "Wheel of Freedom" where one can take risks, seize opportunities and nurture self confidence. You will be shocked by Rhonda's own tragedy during her teenage years and inspired by her journey of self development. Most of all, this book is about self empowerment.
Free Fearless Tip of the Week

The Spiritual Tourist : a personal odyssey through the outer reaches of belief – Mick Brown
This is an entertaining, informative and easy-to-read book. In Mick Brown, you will find a blend of the healthy skepticism of a journalist and the longing of a spiritual seeker. He went in search of the Messiah in London suburbs, travelled the ashram trail in India, met His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the foothills of the Himalayas and knelt in front of Mother Meera in Germany. Mick fills you in on the history of well-known gurus, such as, Sai Baba, Madame Blavatsky of the Theosophical Society, Krishnamurti, etc. He also shares his inner experiences of these encounters with the readers. There is also a good bibliography at the end of the book.

Extraordinary Healing : trigger a complete health turnaround in 10 days or less – Art Brownstein, MD
We all have heard of the immune system, the digestive system, the circulatory system, etc. However, how many of us know about the healing system? The author, who is a medical doctor, explains the healing system in layman's term and describes how stress hinders its functioning. He highlights the importance of working with the healing system to improve our health and longevity.

Can't Lose Weight? You could have Syndrome X – Dr. Sandra Cabot
Whether you want to lose weight or gain better health, you will find this book informative. If your diet is high in carbohydrates, this book is a must read! The important relationship between the healthy functioning of the liver and weight control is explained in the book. Traditional Chinese medicine always takes into account how liver functioning and digestion affect each other. There are also recipes for you to follow.

The China Study – T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II, PhD
If you would like to know the effects of diet on health and longevity, this is a must read! Dr. Colin Campbell was a researcher on a project in the Philippines working with malnourished children, ensuring that the children were getting as much protein as possible. This project later on became an investigation into the cause of liver cancer (predominately an adult disease) in those children. This experience furthered Dr. Campbell’s interest in diet and disease which led to his involvement in the China Study.

The China Study, heralded as the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted, was a research project supported by a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. It was a survey of diseases and lifestyle factors in rural China and Taiwan.

From this study, more than 8,000 statistically significant links between various dietary factors and disease were established. Dr. Campbell, a respected nutrition and health researcher, details the connection between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and also its ability to reduce or reverse the risk or effects of these deadly illnesses. In this book, as well as detailing the connection between dietary factors and diseases commonly found in developed countries, he also looks at the source of nutritional confusion that consumers face.
Meet the Authors

Tai Chi Ch’uan Ta Wen : Questions and Answers on T’ai Chi Ch’uan – Chen Wei Ming; translated by Benjamin Lo & Robert W. Smith
In this book, Professor Chen Wei Ming writes about the instructions he learned in class as a student of Yang Cheng Fu.

Food Matters (80 minute documentary) – produced and directed by James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch
In order to help his father overcome chronic fatigue, depression and anxiety, James Colquhoun produced the film, “Food Matters”. Leading nutritionists, naturopaths, scientists, doctors and medical journalists share their knowledge on the following topics: the use of food as medicine, the role of vitamins, the value of organic food and natural treatments to lower cholesterol. They also discuss natural therapies for cancer, foods that relieve anxiety and depression and the most effective way to detox and lose weight.
View Food Matters Online

Bones of the Master : a journey into secret Mongolia (biography) – George Crane
The odd yet endearing, warm relationship between the author and the previously unknown Zen master, Tsung Tsai, will leave a lasting impression on the reader's mind. The incredible journey began with Tsung Tsai walking three thousand miles to flee from China in 1959. Almost forty years later, Tsung Tsai and his American friend, George Crane, went back to his hometown with a mission in mind. Crane writes with sincerity, without political or moral overtone. A beautifully written book that reaffirms the triumph of human spirit!

The Tao Of Yiquan : the Method of Awareness in the Martial Arts (Warriors of Stillness : Meditation Traditions in the Chinese Martial Arts, vol. 2) – by Jan Diepersloot
The author of this book will introduce you to the founder of Yiquan, Master Wang Xiang Zhai and four of the Yiquan practitoners who were the author’s teachers. A discussion of Zhan Zhuang and many awareness exercises are included.

What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite – David DiSalvo
The author states that this is not a self help book, rather it offers “science help.” Drawing on the research of neuroscience and cognitive psychology, DiSalvo reveals why you do what you do, the mental shortcuts that fail to serve us and how to use this insight to live a more fulfilled life.

Evolve Your Brain : the Science of Changing Your Mind – Joe Dispenza, D.C.
In “What the Bleep do We Know!?”, Joe Dispenza talks about how he consciously creates his day mentally each morning. In this book, he explains how each thought affects the wiring of the brain. If you keep thinking the same negative thoughts, chemical reactions that keep you addicted to the same patterns and feelings are created, even though these thoughts bring unhappiness and discomfort. Joe describes the brain functions which show that neural circuits can be rewired at any time. He also shows you how to use the brain for your happiness and well being. What and where you focus your attention is the key. Only you have the power to change your mind!
Joe Dispenza's site

The Brain that Changes Itself : stories of personal triumph from the frontiers of brain science – Norman Doidge, M.D.
Neuroplasticity now replaces the old notion that the adult brain is fixed and unchanging. Psychiatrist and researcher Norman Doidge interviewed experts in this field throughout the United States. Their findings support the theory that the brain is a highly adaptable structure and that we are not at the mercy of our genes. In this book, you will read about the discoveries of these scientists and case stories of individuals who have triumphed against overwhelming odds.

The Power of Habit : why we do what we do and how to change – Charles Duhigg
Charles Duhigg is a reporter for the New York Times. When he was working in Baghdad, he witnessed that from the understanding of habit and by removing one element, the United States military had successfully stopped riots in a plaza in Kufa, Iraq. This sparked his interest in learning more about habits.

Learn to diagnose, analyse your habits and change them. Human beings are creatures of habits. Large companies study the science of habit formation in order to influence what we buy. If you don’t know your habits, you will find it difficult to change, ranging from incorporating exercise into your life to losing weight or quitting smoking. By identifying the patterns and learning how to change them, the author himself has lost about 30 lbs, runs every morning and has become much more productive.

Encounters with Qi – David Eisenberg, M.D., with Thomas Lee Wright
David Eisenberg was the first U.S. medical exchange student to the People’s Republic of China. He has continued to investigate Chinese medicine as a clinical research fellow at the Harvard Medical School and in collaboration with Chinese medical authorities. This fascinating, easy-to-read book is for anyone who ever wanted to know how - and if – acupuncture and herbal remedies actually work effectively as medical treatments. Taking a forthright look at Qi [chi], the "vital force" of Chinese medicine, an American doctor probes the mysteries of ancient Chinese skills with both a healthy scepticism and an open-mindedness that make for invigorating reading.

The Hidden Messages in Water – Masaru Emoto
Dr. Emoto’s work on our interconnection with water became more widely known with the release of the movie, “What the Bleep do We Know!?”. His realisation of the fact – “No two snow crystals are exactly the same” – inspired him to begin his research on water crystals. His high speed photography of water crystals demonstrates that molecules of water are affected by our thoughts, words and feelings. The book is full of photographs of beautiful water crystals which have been affected by music and words of love and gratitude. There are also photographs of water which has been subject to negative words.
View a Water Crystal

Understanding Other People : the Five Secrets to Human Behavior – Beverly D Flaxington
This book is the 2009 winner of the gold award by Readers Favorite for best book on relationships. If you are often frustrated by the comments and actions of others, this book is a must read! You will find tips and insights on truly understanding conversations with others and on increasing your communication effectiveness.

Authentic Yang Family Tai Chi – Grandmaster Fu Sheng Yuan
ISBN 0 646 23258 4. PO Box 657, Victoria Park WA 6100, Australia taichibook.jpg (42493 bytes)
For the first time in English, Grandmaster Fu Sheng Yuan, fifth generation authority of the Yang Style Tai Chi, offers his experience and insight on the training methods of his family’s art. Following in his famous father, Fu Zhong Wen’s footsteps, Grandmaster Fu Sheng Yuan started his training at the age of nine. This book contains invaluable information on the training methods of Yang Style Tai Chi. With over 500 photographs, the essence of the entire 85 form is captured on record. Each photo is accompanied by detailed instructions, making this volume a priceless addition to your library.
History of Yang Style Tai Chi

Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan – Fu Zhongwen; translated by Louis Swaim
Fu Zhong Wen, father of Grandmaster Fu Sheng Yuan, was one of the most well known and respected tuti (disciples) of Yang Cheng Fu. This book consists of drawings and detailed instructions of the Yang Style Tai Chi form. It also contains new translations of some of the Tai Chi classics. There are succinct descriptions of Fixed Step, Moving Step Push Hands and Da Lu. This book is recommended for advanced Tai Chi students.
Interview with Louis Swaim

The Gabriel Method : the revolutionary diet-free way to lose weight – Jon Gabriel
Jon Gabriel explains that once the fat switch is turned off, the body naturally wants to be slim and weight will fall off easily. As long as the fat switch is turned on, one is fighting an uphill battle no matter which diet program is being followed. There is a free visualization CD which can be downloaded to help the mind and body work together to lose weight easily.
See Jon’s before and after photos

Finding Serenity in the Age of Anxiety – Robert Gerzon
For the millions who think that feeling "stressed out" is an unavoidable fact of life, here is a groundbreaking approach for finding true serenity in this age of anxiety. We find serenity when anxiety works for us instead of against us. In a brilliant analysis, Gerzon unravels three distinct strands from anxiety’s tangled knot and then shows us how to respond to each effectively: toxic anxiety, natural anxiety and sacred anxiety.
Conscious and Creative Living - Robert Gerzon

Emotional Intelligence : Why It Can Matter More Than IQ – Daniel Goleman
Drawing on groundbreaking brain and behavioural research, Goleman shows the factors at work when people of high IQ flounder and those of modest IQ do surprisingly well. These factors add up to a different way of being smart – one he terms "emotional intelligence". Emotional intelligence includes self awareness and impulse control, persistence, zeal and self motivation, empathy and social deftness. These are the qualities that mark people who excel in real life: whose intimate relationships flourish, who are stars in the workplace. These are also the hallmarks of character and self discipline, of altruism and compassion – basic capacities needed if our society is to thrive.
Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations

Mind Body Medicine : How to Use your Mind for Better Health – edited by Daniel Goleman and Joel Gurin
written by leading international authorities
This book discusses the connection between stress and disease, examines such mind/body approaches as biofeedback, hypnosis, meditation and psychotherapy, and explores the mind’s role in pain, heart disease, cancer, the immune system, diabetes, skin problems, arthritis, asthma, gastrointestinal disease and infertility.
Interview with Daniel Goleman

The Tao of Pooh – Benjamin Hoff
A book that explains the principles of Taoism through Winnie-the-Pooh, and explains Winnie-the-Pooh through the principles of Taoism.

“While Eeyore frets … and Piglet hesitates … and Owl pontificates … Pooh just is.”

The Te of Piglet – Benjamin Hoff
"The Te of Piglet" is the sequel to "The Tao of Pooh". Benjamin Hoff introduces more traditional Taoist stories through dialogues between himself and some of the charming characters from the Pooh books, such as Pooh, Eeyore, Owl, Kanga, Baby Roo and of course, Piglet himself. A delightful read for those who enjoyed "The Tao of Pooh"!

Roots of Wisdom – Hong Yingming
edited and illustrated by Tsai Chih Chung; translated by Koh Kok Kiang
Tsai Chih Chung is a pioneer in the art of visualising Chinese literature and philosophy by way of comics. Comics are not only fun and entertaining, they can also be a form of satire. They make classical literature and philosophy available to us in a light-hearted manner.

The "Roots of Wisdom" advocates a life of simplicity, goodness, quiet joy and harmony with one’s fellow beings and the world at large. Hence, it has a great relevance to our modern and rapidly changing society.

The Healing Promise of Qi : Creating Extraordinary Wellness through Qigong and Tai Chi – Roger Jahnke, O.M.D.
Roger Jahnke has been practising traditional Chinese medicine for more than a quarter of a century. This book gives an overview of the theory and practice of Qigong and Tai Chi. The author also draws a parallel between the ancient Chinese concept of qi (life force) and the universe with the scientific world of quantum physics. Techniques with illustrations are included to enable the reader to put theory into practice. The author states that you can rely on these 3 promises from Qigong: (1) Qi is free and everywhere and is accessible to everyone through simple methods of practice. (2) Health benefits are assured with regular practice. (3) The cultivation of qi is easy if you allow it to be.

Uncovering the Wisdom of the Heartmind : "Shaking Down Seed" and Other Stories of Ordinary Goodness – Lin Jensen
These simple tales speak straight to the heart – an intuitive knowing which transcends intellectual understanding. Some of these events are so simple that one would easily have not taken notice, if not for Jensen’s skilful and beautiful writing. In these stories, readers will uncover qualities and wisdom in simple everyday acts that make us human.

Loving What Is : Four Questions that Can Change Your Life (book and CD set) – Byron Katie
Byron Katie was a business woman and a mother of three before she began feeling the blues. She suffered depression for almost a decade, until she experienced a life-changing realisation one morning lying on the floor in a halfway house in 1986. From this “waking up to reality” experience, the Work (which is a method of self inquiry) was born. By asking four simple questions to shake up the false beliefs, you stop tormenting yourself continuously with bad thinking. Once these beliefs are seen for what they are, you don’t have to try to let go of them, rather “the thoughts let go of you”, as Katie herself said. Suffering becomes optional. You rediscover the freedom and joy within one.
Who is Byron Katie?

Flowers in Winter : Defeating Cancer - A Westerner’s Chinese Journey – Sir William Keys
"Flowers in Winter" is the re-creation of four weeks of herbal treatment, of diet, of meditation and of "qi" – those life forces so vital to any healing process. It is an account of one man’s successful battle with a life-threatening illness; a story that uncovers some of the mysteries of an ancient culture and its customs; and above all, it is a story of determination, of poignancy, of humour and of love.

T’ai Chi Ch’uan for Health and Self-Defense – Master T.T. Liang
This book is for people who would like to find out just what Tai Chi is and why it has become so popular. It explains the philosophy behind the system of movements and the variations that are possible, once one has learnt the fundamentals

The Biology of Belief (book) – Bruce Lipton, Ph.D.
The New Biology : where Mind and Matter Meet (DVD) -- previously released under the title, "The Biology of Belief"
Biology has finally caught up with quantum physics! Dr. Bruce Lipton states that it usually takes ten years or more for scientific findings to infiltrate the consciousness of everyday culture. Most people, including the media, have been operating on outdated scientific assumptions, such as, the Darwinian view of the survival of the fittest, the control that genes have over an individual, etc. The findings of Dr. Lipton’s study on cells astonished even himself. We are not victims of genetic hereditary. One’s perception of the environment (belief) “controls” behaviour. It also “controls” genes and rewrites the genes to adapt when necessary. Consciousness is more powerful than nature and nurture. Human beings are creators of their realities – mind and matter meet!
Dr. Bruce Lipton's site
Dr. Bruce Lipton's DVDs are available in Australia

Combat Techniques of Taiji, Xingyi and Bagua : Principles and Practices of Internal Martial Arts – Lu Shengli
translated and edited by by Zhang Yun and Susan Darley

This book is basically a legacy of the teachings of Wang Pei Sheng (1919-2004), a very skilled internal arts master from Beijing. Lu gives a description of the history, principles and features of Tai Chi, Xing Yi, Ba Gua and Tong Bei. These are the big four in Chinese internal martial arts (nei jia quan). Lu also offers analysis on the methods and stages of the development of these arts.

When Listening Comes Alive : A Guide to Effective Learning and Communication – Paul Madaule
Paul Madaule was born in France and suffered from a learning disability, dyslexia, as a child. School was a nightmare. Finally, Dr Alfred Tomatis, an ear, nose and throat specialist, discovered that Paul had a listening problem. Dr Tomatis took Paul through his sound stimulation listening program. This enabled Paul to finish school and he graduated in Psychology from the University of Paris-Sorbonne. It is amazing that it was that same young dyslexic Frenchman who wrote this book in English!

In this very interesting book, Paul Madaule explains that the ear is more than a microphone. Hearing is not the same as listening. Listening involves the brain processing the sound and making sense of the sounds received from the ear. According to Dr Tomatis, autism is the purest form of non-listening. Besides messages, sound carries vital energy to the brain and nourishes the nervous system. The ears affect how well we function, such as, balance, body movements, coordination, our energy level and sense of well being, our moods and behaviour, the expressiveness of our voice, the ease of speaking, etc. The ears serve as a link between our inner world and the outside world, receiving messages from the body and the environment. There are also 10 practical exercises, earobics, in the book to help you to improve your voice.

The book is available at Sound Learning Systems, 51 Learmonth Drive, Kambah ACT 2902. Phone (02) 6231 9111.
Find out more about the Intergrated Listening Programs offered by Harry Armytage

Follow Your Heart : finding purpose in your life and work – Andrew Matthews
Universal truths and insights are treated with humour in this book. It is easy to read but the ten concepts offer plenty of food for thought. The book is about doing what you love, dealing with bills and broken legs, discovering your own power, finding peace of mind, dealing with disasters and not blaming your mother.

You are Not so Smart – David McRaney
The theme of this book is that you are unaware of how unaware you are. In each short chapter, the author describes clearly a universal misconception we hold. Research findings in psychology suggest that we have little idea about why we act or think the way we do. However, we continue to create narratives to explain our own feelings, thoughts and behaviours. Learn about the stories we tell to delude ourselves.
Additions to the book are updated on the author's blog

The Field – Lynne McTaggart
The discovery by a group of frontier scientists – the Zero Point Field – is told in this book. This energy field connects everything in the universe, an ocean of subatomic vibrations in the space between things. The human mind and body, a packet of pulsating energy, is constantly interacting with this vast energy sea, which made many mysteries, such as spiritual healing, extra-sensory perception, the collective unconscious, possible.
More on The Field

The Intention Experiment – Lynne McTaggart
This book builds on the discovery of the energy field that connects everything in the universe as detailed in the author’s first book, “The Field”. It shows you how to incorporate the information made available in “The Field” into your life. Lynne McTaggart teamed up with leading scientists from University of Arizona and other renowned institutes to test the effects of focused group intention on scientifically observable targets, such as animal, plant and human. Practical exercises are included in the book so that you individually or as a group can harness the power of intention for desired results. Readers are reminded of the difference in focus between intention and attention.
Participate in the Largest Mind over Matter Experiment in History

The Joy of Living : Unlocking the Secret & Science of Happiness – Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
Working with the neuroscientists at the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behaviour, Mingyur Rinpoche demonstrates that systematic training in meditation can enhance activity in the areas of the brain associated with happiness and compassion. The aged old wisdom of cultivating mindfulness in our lives is now supported by cutting-edge scientific research on neuroscience and physics. This book is easy to read, warm and clear in helping us to change the way we see ourselves and the world. Mingyur Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation master, also provides the reader with various meditation practices.
More on the Joy of Living

Tao Te Ching
A new English version with foreword and notes, by Stephen Mitchell
In “Tao Te Ching”, Lao Tzu directs us to our true nature and what it means to live in harmony with the Tao. Written about 2,500 years ago, it is one of the most translated books in the world. There are over 100 translations in English alone. Rather than being a literal translation, this version by Stephen Mitchell captures the spirit and wisdom of this collection of aphorisms. A beautiful read!
See Stephen Mitchell’s books

Organizing from the Inside Out – Julie Morgenstern
Do you wish you have more time for your practice, do the things that you enjoy, reduce the clutter in your house and office and locate the items you want easily? Julie teaches you to work with your personality to achieve the outcomes that you desire. Psychological obstacles, which cause people to stay disorganised, are also looked into. Common pitfalls to avoid and the secrets of a professional organiser are highlighted throughout the chapters. This book revolutionized the way individuals and companies think about “getting organised”. You will experience a sense of liberation and power once you understand how simple the organising process can be!
Getting Organised with Julie Morgenstern

The Divine Code of Life – Kazuo Murakami, Ph. D.
Dr. Murakami is one of the top geneticists in the world. After a lifetime of research, he came to the conclusion that how we think can activate good dormant genes and switch off those that are negative. The genes are more fluid than scientists had previously believed. No cloned human beings will be identical when growing up in different environments. This is because each environment will have its own influence on the mind. To enrich one’s life and positively affect one’s genes, he suggests that we cultivate noble intentions, live with gratitude and think positively.

Intuitive Healing – Judith Orloff, M.D.
Dr Judith Orloff is a practising psychiatrist and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA. According to Dr Orloff, intuition plays a powerful role in self diagnosis, pain control, immune response, recovery from illness and healing from anxiety and depression. In this practical and unusual book, Dr Orloff shows us five powerful tools with step-by-step guidance to enable us to get in touch with our intuitive intelligence to heal our bodies and minds
A Conversation with Dr Judith Orloff, author of "Intuitive Healing"

Teach Us to Sit Still : a sceptic's search for health and healing – Tim Parks
The title with its subtitle says it all. Literary writer, Tim Parks, confronted with crippling, chronic pain and given up by the medical profession, was desperate to find healing. He decided to look into the body-mind relationship, his relationship with himself and a better way of living. Reluctantly, he explored alternative healing methods. Much to the author's surprise, he discovered that his condition was caused by physical and mental tension. He found relief in an unlikely prescription of breathing exercises that eventually led him to take up meditation. The author’s honest account of looking into his life is beautifully written. As you read this book, you will cry, but it will also make you laugh!
Note: This book is often found in the Biography section in bookstores, rather than among Meditation books.
Read detailed reviews.

The Heart's Code – Paul Pearsall, Ph.D.
Is the heart merely a mechanical device that pumps over a hundred gallons of blood per hour? Or does the heart also love, feel, think, remember, communicate, regulate immunity, store information that continually pulses through the body and have its own independent nervous system? What does qi (internal energy) have to do with this? Scientists still cannot fathom what triggers the beating of the heart. All they know is that the beating is self initiated from within the heart. In the unborn fetus, the heart starts beating before the brain has even been formed. The author, a psychoneuroimmunologist, will take you through his own journey of re-connecting with his heart through his cancer ordeal. One cannot help but be touched by reading this book.
Dr. Paul Pearsall's site

Wishing Well – Paul Pearsall, Ph.D.
The author presents his study of more than two thousand well wishers from around the world. In this book, you will find the recipe for making wise wishes. The five domains of the wish star – serenity, delight, purpose, meaning and compassion – are explained in details. The author also expounds on the pitfalls of unwise wishing which results in turmoil, disillusionment, stagnation, despair and loneliness. A fascinating and engaging book!

Road to Heaven : Encounters with Chinese Hermits – Bill Porter
To find out whether hermits still exist in the China of today, Bill Porter undertook an incredible and, at times, arduous journey amongst the Chungnan Mountains. Here, he discovered that this ancient form of religious asceticism does indeed continue to exist, and was able to listen to the life histories and wisdom of its practitioners. The result is a fascinating blend of eastern philosophy, Chinese current affairs and superb photographs, as well as personal observations of these isolated people who can "talk to heaven".

Zen and the Art of Happiness – Chris Prentiss
This book is simple, direct and profound. What would life be like if you have the attitude that whatever you encounter will bring the best outcome that could occur for you? No other event could give you a greater degree of benefit. Chris’s own life demonstrates the amazing transformative effects of this attitude of non-resistance and joyousness. He rose from being a liar and a thief to a real estate developer, an author and founder of an alcohol and drug rehab centre which has the highest success rate in the world.

Chris’s interpretations of “I Ching” (under the pseudonym, Wu Wei) are well known and allow a deeper understanding and more useful application of this ancient text.
Passages Malibu Addiction Cure Centre

Time Shifting – Stephan Rechtschaffen
Have you ever felt so rushed that you can’t even stop to think – and that you never seem to have time to do anything properly? This is because most of us are constantly speeding forward mentally to the future or thinking back over the last few minutes or hours, without really concentrating on living in the present moment. We all have the capacity to consider time itself – to step into a new awareness of time freedom. But to do this we must experience time with all the facets of our being: with our perceptions, our feelings, all our senses and our heart. "Time Shifting" shows us how this can be done – and why it is so beneficial.

Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers : the Acclaimed Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping, 3^rd edition – Robert M. Sapolsky
For 25 years, Dr. Robert Sapolsky divided his time between field work with baboons and neurological research in laboratory. Not unlike humans, stressed baboons who live in large, complex social groups also suffer from high cholesterol, hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure.

In this book, Dr. Sapolsky, a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, explains how prolonged stress gives rise to or intensifies many physical and mental afflictions, for example, heart disease, colitis, depression, cancer, autoimmune diseases, etc. Dr. Sapolsky illustrates the point that the classic fight-or-flight stress response – the secretion of glucocorticoids, adrenaline, etc. – is important for animals in the wild as they flee from predators. However, in the case of humans who worry about jobs, finance, relationships, etc., the stress response is triggered and maintained over long periods of time, without necessarily any resolution. High quantities of glucocorticoids or prolonged saturation of this steroid hormone suppress the immune system, the body’s own mechanism to fight diseases.

Practical advice on stress management is given at the end of the book.

Learned Optimism – Martin Seligman, Ph.D.
Martin Seligman will help you to find a more positive approach to life's challenges and uncertainties. We can learn how to overcome our sense of helplessness in the face of defeat and misfortune. Test your own optimism by answering the questions in the quiz.

Waking from Sleep : why awakening experiences occur and how to make them permanent – Steve Taylor

Steve Taylor describes the different intensities of awakening experiences and the methods that have been used throughout history to induce awakening. The author came to the conclusion that our normal consciousness is actually a form of “sleep”, caused by the ego being overly developed. A strong ego creates a sense of duality and separation. The ego consumes so much of our mental energy that little is available to truly perceive the world around us. A “desensitizing mechanism” in our mind turns the is-ness of our surroundings to familiarity. As the author reaches the end of his book, he suggests practices and lifestyle guidelines which help us to move towards permanent wakefulness.

Open Heart, Open Mind : a Guide to Inner Transformation – Tsoknyi Rincpoche with Eric Swanson
You will find Tsoknyi Rinpoche’s style of illuminating Buddhist wisdom a breath of fresh air. He shares his fears and emotions with the reader. His frankness and down-to-earth attitude will help us to see the relevance of this age-old teaching in our daily lives. Rinpoche teaches us ways to open our heart and mind. By doing so, we not only accept and have compassion for other people, we become more gentle with ourselves. This allows deep healing of mental and emotional wounds and return us to our true nature.

The Attention Revolution : unlocking the power of the focused mind – B. Alan Wallace, Ph.D.
The author, Alan Wallace, who is well versed in physics and religious studies, has nearly thirty years’ experience in attention-enhancing meditation. He begins by pointing out the ill effects of our inability to focus. With the current technological age of information overload, we are continually multi-tasking and our attention is being pulled in all different directions – mobile phone, text messaging, email etc. etc. Even credits on television are not safe from advertising other programs at the same time. To help us increase our ability to focus, Wallace describes the ten stages of attentional development. Applying the basic techniques for just a few minutes a day will enhance the quality of our lives.
– Find out more about Alan Wallace and his writings
– The Shamatha Project : a study of the effects of intensive meditation practice on attention, emotional regulation and their neural correlates

Tao : the Watercourse Way – Alan Watts (1915-1973)
Alan Watts is one of the early philosophers to bring to the West an understanding of the Eastern way of seeing nature and the importance of this kind of thinking in the modern world. In this last work of his, Watts writes about that which cannot be explained, the Tao (the course of nature), wu wei (not forcing things) and te (the power which comes from this).
The Alan Watts Story

8 Weeks to Optimum Health – Andrew Weil, M.D.
An eight-week program for improving your health and taking full advantage of your body’s natural healing power. Each week, Dr. Weil recommends nutritional foods, supplements, exercise and activities for mental wellness. There are also customised plans for those over age seventy, considering pregnancy, who travel frequently, who are overweight, who are at risk of cardiovascular disease, who are at risk of cancer, etc.
Ask Dr. Weil a Question!

Tai-Chi Touchstones : Yang Family Secret Transmissions
– compiled & translated by Douglas Wile
Three generations of Yang family masters lifted the art of Tai Chi Chuan from a closed courtyard in Honan Province to the status of a national treasure and presented it to the world. Yang Lu Chan in the nineteenth century, followed by his sons and their sons, have given Tai Chi Chuan the theoretical and practical standard which still defines and shapes the art for a majority of practitioners today. This book draws together the written and photographic record of their teachings, a legacy spanning more that fifty years of published material. The contents include oral instructions, mnemonic verses and training songs, commentaries to the Tai Chi classics, essays, autobiography and family legends, much of which has not been previously translated.

The Sir Jason Winters Story – Sir Jason Winters and Benjamin Roth Smythe
Read about Sir Jason Winters’s remarkable recovery from cancer of the throat, tonsils and tongue. In 1977, his physician informed him that he had only 3 months to live. At that time, he was 47 years of age. His search in 3 different countries for the herbs which finally became the ingredients of his healing tea is documented in the book.
Sir Jason Winters Tea

Tranquil Sitting – Yin Shih Tzu
translated by Shi Fu Hwang and Cheney Crow, Ph.D.
Yin Shih Tzu suffered ill health in his teens. He took up Taoist meditation to develop his innate energies in order to heal himself. When he wrote the “Tranquil Sitting” in 1954, he was eighty-two years of age. In this book, you will read about the physical and metal phenomena that he encountered during his meditation. There are also practical exercises which aim to induce these above experiences. Yin Shih Tzu has also mastered both Buddhist and Tibetan meditation practices. His training in physiology made his explanation easy to understand. This book is both inspirational and practical!

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