GUEST BLOG-WE NEED ALL OF THE HELP WE CAN GET!
A Roundabout Way to Self Help
Paula Renaye
Before I start telling my story about how I started writing, there are two things about me that you should know: one, I couldn't diagram a sentence if my life depended on it, and two, I have won dignified literary awards anyway.
Now, I've loved books since I was old enough to hold one, but what really set me on a path to writing them—eventually—was the combination of a retired colonel, a high school English class and a romance novel. Serioulsy!
After retiring from the Air Force, Colonel Bob White, for reasons known only to him, decided to come to the little town in Texas where I lived and teach English for a couple of years. Looking back, I'm not sure whether he deserved a medal or a mental health exam.
Whatever the case, not long into the school year, Mr. White held up a big fat paperback book and announced that we would all be reading it. Much groaning and whining ensued. And when we learned that every tiny-lettered page was filled with glorious details of life in Saxon England circa1066, well, I think some cried.
However, when I got the dreaded book in my hand, I was confused. The title was odd—The Wolf and the Dove—and the cover had a man and a woman on it. This did not look like any other book I'd been forced to read in school. And who was this Kathleen Woodiwiss anyway?
I dutifully started reading—and couldn't stop. Yep, it was an epic romance novel. Written in 1974, it was a product of the times, and wild stuff for a sheltered little high school girl. I don't recall anyone else being nearly as enthralled as I was, but Mr. White's brilliant assignment set me on a path of reading—and, of course, concurrent learning—that also "trained" me to be a writer.
By the time I got the crazy idea that I could write my own novel, I'd read hundreds of books. Although I didn't consciously try to, or even realize that I had, I'd picked up an intuitive feeling for the structure of a story and could hear dialogue as a natural flow of conversational in my head. I could also see the scenes like a movie, which made them easy to write.
I've written a lot of books, but my first published novel was Hot Enough to Kill, a humorous mystery that was featured in Redbook. My second, Dead Man Falls, won the 2001 WILLA Literary Award for Best Original Paperback. The third, Turkey Ranch Road Rage, was released last year and I'm working on Killer Moves in all my spare time.
So, you ask, how did it happen that I went from writing funny mysteries to self help books? Well, if you'd read my fictional tales you wouldn't need to ask that question!
Actually, after the first book came out, life happened. The second book was already set to be published, but life kept happening. In short, death, divorce and delusion took a toll. And, like many people, I started searching for ways to ease my own pain. Being a writer, as I learned, I wrote.
I spent a lot of years feeling like I was just treading water—I knew I needed to do something, but I couldn't see what or how. I love the movie The Secret, but when I was in that stuck place, the only thing I was capable of manifesting was more pain. I needed the secret before The Secret!
Over the course of about ten years, I started some version of a self-help book at least six different ways, but it just never came together. I knew what I wanted to do—to help people who were in the same boat I was, people who feel stuck and yet are afraid to be un-stuck. I wanted to give people in pain, as I had been, a simple and direct roadmap out of it.
That's really what the The Hardline Self Help Handbook is. It's a do-it-yourself short course based on what I learned on my own rocky journey and what I now do with my coaching clients and in my workshops. It's a step by step guide to help people figure out what they really want in their lives, why they don't already have it—and how they can.
With times as they are today, it's exactly what a lot of us need—and are ready for. The book's subtitle is a challenge—and I hope an inspiring one—because now is the perfect time to ask, What Are You Willing to Do to Get What You Really Want?
About Paula
Paula Renaye is a professional life coach, motivational and empowerment speaker, regression hypnosis practitioner and award-winning author. She has been a consultant for 18 years, holds a degree in Financial Planning and is a member of the International Association of Coaches. Her passion is helping people face reality and take personal responsibility for their choices in order to reclaim their own power and live the life they really want.
Where to buy
The Hardline Self Help Handbook by Paula Renaye is available through most online retailers and bookstores by order in trade paperback and ebook formats.
Amazon.com
ISBN 0-9674786-5-0 (trade paperback) $19.95
http://www.amazon.com/Hardline-Self-Help-Handbook-Willing/dp/0967478650/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304391281&sr=8-2
Kindle ASIN: B004XNKDB6 (ebook) $9.99
http://www.amazon.com/Hardline-Self-Help-Handbook-ebook/dp/B004XNKDB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1304025368&sr=8-1
Smashwords (ebook) $9.99
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/55273
For special book tour bonus materials and a link to purchase the print book at a discount, visit www.hardlineselfhelp.com.
A printable Companion Workbook is available in printable PDF format from the publisher. See website for details.
Showing posts with label virtual blog tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label virtual blog tour. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Boost Your Revenues by Turning People Away...
Guest Post-I would like to welcome Alison Silbert as a guest author for her blog tour, BOOST YOUR REVENUES by TURNING PEOPLE AWAY! Give it a read and then check out her latest book.
I started to write simple articles in the second year I was running my internet marketing business as a way to generate prospects’ interest, exposure and credibility. I found that I tremendously enjoyed writing as a way of expressing my unique abilities to teach others about online marketing and constructing websites, that I ended up continuing to write articles. In 2004, I received certification in technical writing at George Brown College. One day in 2006, a colleague suggested I put all of the answers to questions I was being repeatedly asked by clients into a book format, so I could spend less time with clients, and also give clients something to refer to repeatedly.
In 2007, I wrote my first book “Winning Websites”; then in 2009 I revisited the content of “Winning Websites” and rewrote it under the title “Boost your Revenues by Turning People Away”. With the publisher’s assistance I designed an eye-catching cover (something, I learned along the way, that “Winning Websites” lacked). I revised the copy within the book to include new questions I had begun to hear and included brief instruction-sets about how to use some simple website template styles, how to use some common content management systems (e.g. Wordpress, Joomla, and Drupal) and some common questions that someone seeking a website company should ask any representative. I also included thought-provoking marketing topics such as “how to refine your ideal client definition” and “how to make your website compel your ideal client to start sales cycles for you”, and a full section dedicated to simple ways the non-technical business-person can promote a website and boost their search engine rank via article writing and social media postings.
Most people use a website for (a glorified brochure available for everyone to see), it is possible to write website copy that builds ideal prospects’ trust in you and your business, and leads them to take some step towards starting the sales cycle for you. Thus Boost your Revenues by Turning People Away was born.
Alison Silbert is the author of Boost Your Revenues by Turning People Away. When not running her business Passionate Web Creations, she is a mentor, coach, and teacher, supporting individuals in living their dream of having a successful online business. For more details about the book, email us at info@idealvisitor.com; to order copies of the book go from Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobile and http://idealvisitor.com/idealsite/book-2/.
I started to write simple articles in the second year I was running my internet marketing business as a way to generate prospects’ interest, exposure and credibility. I found that I tremendously enjoyed writing as a way of expressing my unique abilities to teach others about online marketing and constructing websites, that I ended up continuing to write articles. In 2004, I received certification in technical writing at George Brown College. One day in 2006, a colleague suggested I put all of the answers to questions I was being repeatedly asked by clients into a book format, so I could spend less time with clients, and also give clients something to refer to repeatedly.
In 2007, I wrote my first book “Winning Websites”; then in 2009 I revisited the content of “Winning Websites” and rewrote it under the title “Boost your Revenues by Turning People Away”. With the publisher’s assistance I designed an eye-catching cover (something, I learned along the way, that “Winning Websites” lacked). I revised the copy within the book to include new questions I had begun to hear and included brief instruction-sets about how to use some simple website template styles, how to use some common content management systems (e.g. Wordpress, Joomla, and Drupal) and some common questions that someone seeking a website company should ask any representative. I also included thought-provoking marketing topics such as “how to refine your ideal client definition” and “how to make your website compel your ideal client to start sales cycles for you”, and a full section dedicated to simple ways the non-technical business-person can promote a website and boost their search engine rank via article writing and social media postings.
Most people use a website for (a glorified brochure available for everyone to see), it is possible to write website copy that builds ideal prospects’ trust in you and your business, and leads them to take some step towards starting the sales cycle for you. Thus Boost your Revenues by Turning People Away was born.
Alison Silbert is the author of Boost Your Revenues by Turning People Away. When not running her business Passionate Web Creations, she is a mentor, coach, and teacher, supporting individuals in living their dream of having a successful online business. For more details about the book, email us at info@idealvisitor.com; to order copies of the book go from Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobile and http://idealvisitor.com/idealsite/book-2/.
Friday, May 13, 2011
THE DIGITAL DIET
Ten Digital Diet Rules to Live By
From THE DIGITAL DIET By Daniel Sieberg
1. Avoid tech turds. Don’t just dump your smart phone on the table at a restaurant or at home. Keep it in your pocket or purse unless it’s critical to have it out. If you must have it out, acknowledge its presence and inform your companions that you’ll check it only in an emergency. It’s a courtesy that you’d appreciate, too.
2. Live your life in the real world. If you must post a status update or tweet or blog about something in your life, then make sure it’s something you’d be willing to announce to anyone you know face to face.
3. Ask yourself whether you really need that gadget. There are tons of cool stuff in the tech world, and some of it might even improve your or your family’s life, but don’t feel compelled to buy every new toy that comes out. Before you make a digital purchase, question its necessity.
4. Seek tech support. Navigating the wilds of the wired world can sometimes be too much to handle alone. It’s okay to ask for help and it’s also okay to use technology to help “outsource self control” when needed. Check out the many programs that can assist with budgeting your time online.
5. Detox Regularly. Once you’ve completed the Digital Diet, return to the detox phase one day a month. You can do this as a family, too. Use that day as a touchstone to remember what life can be like without technology.
6. Sleep device-free: Move your chargers out of the bedroom to another room in the house, and let your devices live there overnight. They need a break from you, too.
7. It’s either the human or the device. Work toward choosing people over the device. Yes, there’ll be times when it’s tricky or nearly impossible to choose between your smart phone or laptop and paying attention to your child or your loved one or your friend, but try to use your devices more on your own time rather than during the time you share with others.
8. Remember the “if /then” principle. Choices that you make in the virtual world can have an impact in the real one. For example, if you don’t find the time to put down the gadgets and log out once in a while, then you might lose the ability to appreciate the finer moments in life.
9. Structure your e-day. Work toward a finite beginning and end to your connectedness. In other words, dive into the gadgets and the e-mail and the texts only when you’ve composed yourself in the morning. When you’re ready to unplug in the evening, do it without reservation and focus on what—and who—is immediately around you.
10. Trust your instincts. If you think you might be spending too much time being a voyeur on social networks or playing online games or endlessly texting, then you probably are. That little voice knows when it’s all become too much. Listen to it. Pursue the ultimate goal of balance and awareness.
For much more information about Daniel Sieberg and The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life visit http://www.danielsieberg.com/. For your own copy, visit http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-4-step-addiction-balance/dp/0307887383 (print) and http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-addiction-balance-ebook/dp/B004J4WM3G (Kindle)
From THE DIGITAL DIET By Daniel Sieberg
1. Avoid tech turds. Don’t just dump your smart phone on the table at a restaurant or at home. Keep it in your pocket or purse unless it’s critical to have it out. If you must have it out, acknowledge its presence and inform your companions that you’ll check it only in an emergency. It’s a courtesy that you’d appreciate, too.
2. Live your life in the real world. If you must post a status update or tweet or blog about something in your life, then make sure it’s something you’d be willing to announce to anyone you know face to face.
3. Ask yourself whether you really need that gadget. There are tons of cool stuff in the tech world, and some of it might even improve your or your family’s life, but don’t feel compelled to buy every new toy that comes out. Before you make a digital purchase, question its necessity.
4. Seek tech support. Navigating the wilds of the wired world can sometimes be too much to handle alone. It’s okay to ask for help and it’s also okay to use technology to help “outsource self control” when needed. Check out the many programs that can assist with budgeting your time online.
5. Detox Regularly. Once you’ve completed the Digital Diet, return to the detox phase one day a month. You can do this as a family, too. Use that day as a touchstone to remember what life can be like without technology.
6. Sleep device-free: Move your chargers out of the bedroom to another room in the house, and let your devices live there overnight. They need a break from you, too.
7. It’s either the human or the device. Work toward choosing people over the device. Yes, there’ll be times when it’s tricky or nearly impossible to choose between your smart phone or laptop and paying attention to your child or your loved one or your friend, but try to use your devices more on your own time rather than during the time you share with others.
8. Remember the “if /then” principle. Choices that you make in the virtual world can have an impact in the real one. For example, if you don’t find the time to put down the gadgets and log out once in a while, then you might lose the ability to appreciate the finer moments in life.
9. Structure your e-day. Work toward a finite beginning and end to your connectedness. In other words, dive into the gadgets and the e-mail and the texts only when you’ve composed yourself in the morning. When you’re ready to unplug in the evening, do it without reservation and focus on what—and who—is immediately around you.
10. Trust your instincts. If you think you might be spending too much time being a voyeur on social networks or playing online games or endlessly texting, then you probably are. That little voice knows when it’s all become too much. Listen to it. Pursue the ultimate goal of balance and awareness.
For much more information about Daniel Sieberg and The Digital Diet: The 4-Step Plan to Break Your Tech Addiction and Regain Balance in Your Life visit http://www.danielsieberg.com/. For your own copy, visit http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-4-step-addiction-balance/dp/0307887383 (print) and http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Diet-addiction-balance-ebook/dp/B004J4WM3G (Kindle)
Monday, May 2, 2011
And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones
As a part of her blog tour I asked if Susan would share some insights about her new book.In her memoir, And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, Susan Avitzour uses narrative, poetry, and a journal to grapple with the profound personal, philosophical, and spiritual questions raised by her eighteen-year-old daughter’s illness and death from leukemia. Ultimately, she faces the challenge many of us must confront in the course of our own lives: How to affirm faith and love in an unpredictable, often cruel, universe.
My daughter, Timora, was diagnosed with leukemia just after her twelfth birthday, and left this world shortly after her eighteenth. Those years took her on a remarkable spiritual journey, which I’d like to share with you today.
Timora’s spirituality combined a relationship with the God she’d been brought up to believe in with a more universal connection to the divine cosmic energy that sustains all life. The memoir I’ve written, And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, tells how she came to me one day with a thoughtful look:
“‘You know, Eema,’ she said, ‘I used to be really angry with God. I couldn’t understand why He seemed to be ignoring my prayers.’
I put down the book I’d been reading, and moved a little closer.
‘Last year, on [the Jewish holiday of] Shavuot, I got so mad that I started screaming at Him. I said that He was stingy and mean, that He wasn’t helping me even though He could.’
I remembered that time well. She’d been weak and depressed, hurting all over. Sores burned her mouth every time she tried to eat, and made every bite taste revolting. She was sleeping even worse than usual, and was haunted by bizarre, obsessive dreams.
I put my hand on hers. What could I say?
‘... You know what happened then?’
I shook my head, still mute.
‘I lay down, and suddenly I started to feel a wave of new strength filling me, flowing into my blood. I told God I’d make a deal with Him. He’d go easier on me, and I’d stop being so angry at Him. That night I was able to get out of bed and say to myself, I won’t sink into this cesspool. I can be strong, I do have someone to give me the strength to live like a person. And I will, and that’s that.’”
Timora later discovered Reiki, a Japanese healing art that teaches its practitioners to become vessels through which spiritual energy flows into people who are suffering. It helped her so much that she eventually became a practitioner herself, laying hands both on herself and on other people, whose discomfort she delighted in alleviating.
Timora departed this world much as she had dwelled in it, in deep connection with the spiritual forces that animate it. As I relate in my memoir, her Reiki teacher visited her in the hospital a few days before she died.
“As Edna touched Timora and the energy flowed between them, Edna felt, through her fingertips and deep inside herself, that part of Timora’s soul was already on the way to the next world. Another part of her spirit was lingering behind – hesitating to leave us because she was worried about us, not wanting to cause us pain – but at the same time longing to be released.
As the energy between them intensified, Edna experienced herself as being together with Timora, in a corridor suffused with light unlike any she’d ever seen or sensed. The corridor led toward an even stronger, more beautiful light, which could not then – and cannot now – be depicted in words, but seemed to be the source, expression and richness of everything that is Good.
When Edna removed her hands and said her last farewell to Timora’s earthly form, she was left with a feeling she can only describe as a kind of completeness, a fullness. This feeling, she says, has not entirely left her to this day. Timora gave her an incomparable gift: Having experienced those few minutes of light together with Timora’s spirit, Edna now knows in the deepest sense possible that she has nothing to fear from the other side.
After her release (Edna tells me) Timora’s spirit did not stay away for long, and soon returned to become a kind of spiritual guide and teacher. Every so often, she comes to Edna during Reiki sessions, and Edna sometimes asks her for help and guidance. When she comes, she adds her own spiritual energy to the currents of Reiki moving through Edna’s hands, making them that much more powerful as agents of healing.”
I believe that God provides us with a well of strength that we can draw upon to go on, even to help others, despite life’s – and death’s – trials and tragedies. We may draw from this well through prayer, or receive it in the form of the energy that Reiki teaches us to harness or, doubtless, in other ways I haven’t discovered. This strength, this continually replenished energy, is none other than God’s healing presence in our hearts.
To learn more about Susan Avitzour, author of And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, we invite you to visit her site - http://www.fiveyearslater.blogspot.com. For the full virtual tour schedule, visit http://bookpromotionservices.com/2011/01/06/twice-the-marrow-virtual-tour/
My daughter, Timora, was diagnosed with leukemia just after her twelfth birthday, and left this world shortly after her eighteenth. Those years took her on a remarkable spiritual journey, which I’d like to share with you today.
Timora’s spirituality combined a relationship with the God she’d been brought up to believe in with a more universal connection to the divine cosmic energy that sustains all life. The memoir I’ve written, And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, tells how she came to me one day with a thoughtful look:
“‘You know, Eema,’ she said, ‘I used to be really angry with God. I couldn’t understand why He seemed to be ignoring my prayers.’
I put down the book I’d been reading, and moved a little closer.
‘Last year, on [the Jewish holiday of] Shavuot, I got so mad that I started screaming at Him. I said that He was stingy and mean, that He wasn’t helping me even though He could.’
I remembered that time well. She’d been weak and depressed, hurting all over. Sores burned her mouth every time she tried to eat, and made every bite taste revolting. She was sleeping even worse than usual, and was haunted by bizarre, obsessive dreams.
I put my hand on hers. What could I say?
‘... You know what happened then?’
I shook my head, still mute.
‘I lay down, and suddenly I started to feel a wave of new strength filling me, flowing into my blood. I told God I’d make a deal with Him. He’d go easier on me, and I’d stop being so angry at Him. That night I was able to get out of bed and say to myself, I won’t sink into this cesspool. I can be strong, I do have someone to give me the strength to live like a person. And I will, and that’s that.’”
Timora later discovered Reiki, a Japanese healing art that teaches its practitioners to become vessels through which spiritual energy flows into people who are suffering. It helped her so much that she eventually became a practitioner herself, laying hands both on herself and on other people, whose discomfort she delighted in alleviating.
Timora departed this world much as she had dwelled in it, in deep connection with the spiritual forces that animate it. As I relate in my memoir, her Reiki teacher visited her in the hospital a few days before she died.
“As Edna touched Timora and the energy flowed between them, Edna felt, through her fingertips and deep inside herself, that part of Timora’s soul was already on the way to the next world. Another part of her spirit was lingering behind – hesitating to leave us because she was worried about us, not wanting to cause us pain – but at the same time longing to be released.
As the energy between them intensified, Edna experienced herself as being together with Timora, in a corridor suffused with light unlike any she’d ever seen or sensed. The corridor led toward an even stronger, more beautiful light, which could not then – and cannot now – be depicted in words, but seemed to be the source, expression and richness of everything that is Good.
When Edna removed her hands and said her last farewell to Timora’s earthly form, she was left with a feeling she can only describe as a kind of completeness, a fullness. This feeling, she says, has not entirely left her to this day. Timora gave her an incomparable gift: Having experienced those few minutes of light together with Timora’s spirit, Edna now knows in the deepest sense possible that she has nothing to fear from the other side.
After her release (Edna tells me) Timora’s spirit did not stay away for long, and soon returned to become a kind of spiritual guide and teacher. Every so often, she comes to Edna during Reiki sessions, and Edna sometimes asks her for help and guidance. When she comes, she adds her own spiritual energy to the currents of Reiki moving through Edna’s hands, making them that much more powerful as agents of healing.”
I believe that God provides us with a well of strength that we can draw upon to go on, even to help others, despite life’s – and death’s – trials and tragedies. We may draw from this well through prayer, or receive it in the form of the energy that Reiki teaches us to harness or, doubtless, in other ways I haven’t discovered. This strength, this continually replenished energy, is none other than God’s healing presence in our hearts.
To learn more about Susan Avitzour, author of And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, we invite you to visit her site - http://www.fiveyearslater.blogspot.com. For the full virtual tour schedule, visit http://bookpromotionservices.com/2011/01/06/twice-the-marrow-virtual-tour/
Sunday, March 20, 2011
How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head
I had the pleasure of interviewing Sandy Sims about his new book: How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century. I thin you will all enjoy the interview and enjoy the book even more!
"As we approach the much talked about 2012, humanity as a whole is confronted by a climate of fear that may very well create/manifest all that is least desired in the misinterpreted prophecies of the likes of Nostradamus, the Hopi and the Mayans."
What is the role of the individual in either creating a negative/positive environment for themselves and others?
(Sandy)I feel it is all about individuals first taking care of themselves so that they can assist others. Learning what to think about and how is the critical issue. There is a saying that the quality of our lives is determined by the questions we ask. Asking questions with intent sets the process in motion. For example: “What are my gifts? How can I best use these? How can I be happy? The answers may not appear immediately, but they do come, and when they do one must summon the determination to act.
The real challenge occurs when people become overwhelmed with circumstances that they lose this focus and begin blaming their personal condition on the environment. They lose l contact with their personal power.
Will an environment of social, economic, political and religious turmoil increase the likelihood of more societal problems?
(Sandy)I feel we really don’t have a good grasp on this. The immediate surface answer would be yes. There will be those that resist changing, and there will be those promoting it. This dynamic tension will most likely always exist. Yet if we see more conscious awareness developing, then the over all movement will be to improve society.
I believe the Dalai Lama was once asked how he viewed the 20th century with all of the wars and bloodshed. He answered by saying that on balance it had been the best century when you look at number of lives, the standard of which, had improved worldwide. It is the nature of the challenge now that is important. We seem to be facing structural changes as opposed to just cyclical ones: that is the thinking and structures in place to deal with economics, politics, education, global interdependence, etc. are all in search of new models.
If society does not view its problems holistically and fails to understand that you cannot separate economics from such things as climate change, human rights, environmental protection, etc. is there any hope that humanity will keep its position as the dominant species?
(Sandy) If you accept the idea that the human species has immense personal power potential and that we are connected as Rupert Sheldrake surmises through the morphogenetic field or collective unconscious, then we might say that all is possible, that we can change our consciousness. The issue at stake is how far we go towards the brink of some environmental disaster through nature or nuclear war that we cannot reverse. Then all bets would be off. But I would venture to say that as long as man is on the planet with the knowledge gained so far, that even with an enormous set back, a wiser generation would emerge.
Humanity is facing a crisis; what can one person do?
(Sandy) I had the good fortune once to spend time with Eileen Caddy the co-founder of The Findhorn Community in Scotland, years ago addressing this very same question. Her comment was that each person is responsible for taking care of one person, themselves. If enough people can rise to that level of awareness they will be able to assist the less fortunate, disabled, sick, etc. In this regard she was referring to each person becoming aware of their own personal power through the proper use of their minds, which means practicing and developing their minds to accomplish the tasks in front of them. This, of course, is the subject matter of the human potential movement.
Our 'times' are the culmination of synchronicities, is the future written or is their choice?
(Sandy) When you think about synchronicities as being meaningful coincidences it is extremely easy to imagine your connection with these synchronicities as messages from other consciousnesses. I like to think about these events as perhaps communication from your invisible partners. If this is indeed a reality then the future might not so much be written but explored jointly between ourselves and these partners.
For more information about Sandy Sims and How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century, visit http://creativethinkingbook.com/ and visit this page to get the Amazon links http://creativethinkingbook.com/buy-your-copy/.
Why I Wrote – How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century – Comments from Sandy Sims
Originally I knew this would be a story of interest to people who follow architecture. After reading Wright’s autobiography I had been struck by the idea that not only was he famous but his drawings at the time were selling at auction for the same price as those of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He had designed over 1,000 designs but some 500 remained unbuilt. In an “a ha” flash I imagined that a collection of Wright’s unrealized designs built in Hawaii would be stunning.
The pursuit of this idea was so compelling, that I innocently and naively began the journey, and what a journey it was. I was cordially invited into many of Wright’s private homes, to meet their owners, and to hear their stories. I became friends with those in the Taliesin Fellowship, some of whom were the earliest apprentices to Frank Lloyd Wright. It was a rich journey. While in the beginning I was attracted to the financial rewards that might have accrued, I later became fascinated by the idea of what it would be like to live inside of the space created by both a mystic and a genius. I found out
Sandy Sims Bio –
Sandy Sims was raised and educated in the South. After serving as Naval Officer and finishing graduate business school, he followed a dream to live in Honolulu where he built one of Hawaii's most successful advertising agencies.
The crisis of personal health and business setbacks opened the way to larger spiritual dimensions including a long association with the Caddy family, founders of the Findhorn Spiritual Community in Scotland His book,”How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century,” is a memoir of his journey culminating in a 20 year project with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
He has collaborated with Psychiatrist, Kerry Monick MD, and authored Creative Thinking For The 21st Century, An Experiential Guidebook. Accepting the science that our intention does indeed affect the material world, it addresses what to be thinking about, how to shape these thoughts, and what might be the best way to avoid unintended consequences.
When not travelling, Sandy resides in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where you can find him writing, playing tennis, poking around with his camera and embracing a new culture.
"As we approach the much talked about 2012, humanity as a whole is confronted by a climate of fear that may very well create/manifest all that is least desired in the misinterpreted prophecies of the likes of Nostradamus, the Hopi and the Mayans."
What is the role of the individual in either creating a negative/positive environment for themselves and others?
(Sandy)I feel it is all about individuals first taking care of themselves so that they can assist others. Learning what to think about and how is the critical issue. There is a saying that the quality of our lives is determined by the questions we ask. Asking questions with intent sets the process in motion. For example: “What are my gifts? How can I best use these? How can I be happy? The answers may not appear immediately, but they do come, and when they do one must summon the determination to act.
The real challenge occurs when people become overwhelmed with circumstances that they lose this focus and begin blaming their personal condition on the environment. They lose l contact with their personal power.
Will an environment of social, economic, political and religious turmoil increase the likelihood of more societal problems?
(Sandy)I feel we really don’t have a good grasp on this. The immediate surface answer would be yes. There will be those that resist changing, and there will be those promoting it. This dynamic tension will most likely always exist. Yet if we see more conscious awareness developing, then the over all movement will be to improve society.
I believe the Dalai Lama was once asked how he viewed the 20th century with all of the wars and bloodshed. He answered by saying that on balance it had been the best century when you look at number of lives, the standard of which, had improved worldwide. It is the nature of the challenge now that is important. We seem to be facing structural changes as opposed to just cyclical ones: that is the thinking and structures in place to deal with economics, politics, education, global interdependence, etc. are all in search of new models.
If society does not view its problems holistically and fails to understand that you cannot separate economics from such things as climate change, human rights, environmental protection, etc. is there any hope that humanity will keep its position as the dominant species?
(Sandy) If you accept the idea that the human species has immense personal power potential and that we are connected as Rupert Sheldrake surmises through the morphogenetic field or collective unconscious, then we might say that all is possible, that we can change our consciousness. The issue at stake is how far we go towards the brink of some environmental disaster through nature or nuclear war that we cannot reverse. Then all bets would be off. But I would venture to say that as long as man is on the planet with the knowledge gained so far, that even with an enormous set back, a wiser generation would emerge.
Humanity is facing a crisis; what can one person do?
(Sandy) I had the good fortune once to spend time with Eileen Caddy the co-founder of The Findhorn Community in Scotland, years ago addressing this very same question. Her comment was that each person is responsible for taking care of one person, themselves. If enough people can rise to that level of awareness they will be able to assist the less fortunate, disabled, sick, etc. In this regard she was referring to each person becoming aware of their own personal power through the proper use of their minds, which means practicing and developing their minds to accomplish the tasks in front of them. This, of course, is the subject matter of the human potential movement.
Our 'times' are the culmination of synchronicities, is the future written or is their choice?
(Sandy) When you think about synchronicities as being meaningful coincidences it is extremely easy to imagine your connection with these synchronicities as messages from other consciousnesses. I like to think about these events as perhaps communication from your invisible partners. If this is indeed a reality then the future might not so much be written but explored jointly between ourselves and these partners.
For more information about Sandy Sims and How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century, visit http://creativethinkingbook.com/ and visit this page to get the Amazon links http://creativethinkingbook.com/buy-your-copy/.
Why I Wrote – How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century – Comments from Sandy Sims
Originally I knew this would be a story of interest to people who follow architecture. After reading Wright’s autobiography I had been struck by the idea that not only was he famous but his drawings at the time were selling at auction for the same price as those of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He had designed over 1,000 designs but some 500 remained unbuilt. In an “a ha” flash I imagined that a collection of Wright’s unrealized designs built in Hawaii would be stunning.
The pursuit of this idea was so compelling, that I innocently and naively began the journey, and what a journey it was. I was cordially invited into many of Wright’s private homes, to meet their owners, and to hear their stories. I became friends with those in the Taliesin Fellowship, some of whom were the earliest apprentices to Frank Lloyd Wright. It was a rich journey. While in the beginning I was attracted to the financial rewards that might have accrued, I later became fascinated by the idea of what it would be like to live inside of the space created by both a mystic and a genius. I found out
Sandy Sims Bio –
Sandy Sims was raised and educated in the South. After serving as Naval Officer and finishing graduate business school, he followed a dream to live in Honolulu where he built one of Hawaii's most successful advertising agencies.
The crisis of personal health and business setbacks opened the way to larger spiritual dimensions including a long association with the Caddy family, founders of the Findhorn Spiritual Community in Scotland His book,”How Frank Lloyd Wright Got Into My Head, Under My Skin And Changed The Way I Think About Thinking, A Creative Thinking Blue Print For the 21st Century,” is a memoir of his journey culminating in a 20 year project with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
He has collaborated with Psychiatrist, Kerry Monick MD, and authored Creative Thinking For The 21st Century, An Experiential Guidebook. Accepting the science that our intention does indeed affect the material world, it addresses what to be thinking about, how to shape these thoughts, and what might be the best way to avoid unintended consequences.
When not travelling, Sandy resides in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where you can find him writing, playing tennis, poking around with his camera and embracing a new culture.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
LIBERATE YOURSELF FROM NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
“Emotional Freedom is a must-read for anyone who's tired
of feeling frustrated, lonely, or stopped by fear."
-Deepak Chopra
I'd like to tell you about my friend and colleague Judith Orloff MD - a UCLA psychiatrist and a pioneer who bridges mainstream medicine with intuition, energy medicine, and spirituality. She invites you on a remarkable journey where you can embrace more happiness and mastery over negativity than you may have ever known. Our world is in the midst of a meltdown. She describes how to stay intuitively and spiritually centered in our times.
Dr. Orloff celebrates the exciting paperback launch of her New York Times bestseller Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life. She is treating you to an incredible one-time book-launch offer with special gifts from herself and friends such as Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Joan Borysenko, Dr. Michael Beckwith, and more!
To purchase the book and receive your "Celebrate Joy" special gift collection go to:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/
In Emotional Freedom Dr. Orloff states:
“I’m presenting the unique process I use with patients and in my own life to view emotions as a path to spiritual and intuitive awakening (not EFT). I synthesize traditional medicine with energy medicine to offer you new tools to master emotions and become heroes in your own life. Inner peace leads to outer peace in the world.”
Publisher's Weekly’s review of Emotional Freedom says:
“Superbly written..Dr. Orloff regards emotions as a training ground for the soul, and views ‘every victory over fear, anxiety, and resentment as a way to develop your spiritual muscles.’”
Emotional Freedom has rave reviews from USA Today, Dr. Candace Pert, Christiane Northrup, M.D., Caroline Myss, Dean Ornish, M.D., and Mary Oliver, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. They call it “spectacular,” “a must-read,” “a heartfelt, accessible guide,” and “resolutely compassionate.”
In the book, you will discover:
• Four questions to transform fear with courage
• What your emotional type is
• How to stop absorbing the emotions of others
• How to combat emotional vampires with compassion
• The spiritual meaning of depression and hope
Purchase book and claim your "Celebrate Joy" special gift collection at:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/
If you'd like to liberate yourself from negative emotions and compassionately own the moment in all situations instead of just reacting when your buttons get pushed go to:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/
Nelson Mandela said: “As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Help liberate others and please share this announcement with them. Your support makes us happy and grateful!
For more inspiration and to learn about the Emotional Freedom book tour schedule and sign up for our affiliate program visit DrJudithOrloff.com.
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life written by Judith Orloff MD is the perfect book to come along at the perfect time. I couldn’t put it down!
We live in a tumultuous, fear-dominated period in history and must become masters at overcoming fear and other negative emotions so they don’t sabotage our power. With skill and compassion, Dr. Judith Orloff shows us how to become heroes in our own lives by transforming anger, loneliness, and envy and more rather than simply “reacting” when our buttons get pushed.
An Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and intuition expert, Dr. Orloff shares her wealth of personal and professional knowledge to illuminate the field of emotions. She draws on wisdom from traditional medicine but goes light years beyond it by presenting emotions as a path to spiritual, energetic, and intuitive awakening. Why is this leap so important? The intellect has restricted vision about emotions, but bringing intuition into the feeling realm lets us go deeper within. Dr. Orloff asks us to see every success, every heartbreak, every loss, every gain as vehicles for transformation. She teaches readers to view emotions in a non-ordinary way, rather than simply making you happy or miserable. Everyone will benefit from the insightful instructions that continually guide us and also from the author’s intimate personal journey and well-earned life wisdom. Judith is the kind of doctor we wish we all had.
Part One of the book introduces you to the four components of emotions: their biology, spirituality, energetic power, and psychology. Understanding each component in yourself will lead to inner breakthroughs that aren’t possible without seeing the whole picture. It offers a self-assessment test to evaluate your current level of emotional freedom so you can increase it practicing this book’s principles. Dr. Orloff invites you into her romance with sleep and dreams as revolutionary states of consciousness. She also helps readers determine their “emotional type” including “the intellectual,” and “the empath. “so they can make the most of their own finest qualities. As an empath, Dr. Orloff knows the gigantic challenges of being an “emotional sponge” and teaches other empaths who’ve been labeled “overly sensitive” how to stay grounded in an often-overwhelming world.
You’ll enjoy the “emotional vampire survival guide”--specific advice for dealing with emotional drainers. We’ve all met them. You’re talking to someone, when suddenly you feel anxious, depressed, or tired. She describes the narcissist, the victim, the controller, and other types of vampires. Plus, there are quizzes to help you determine “Are you in a relationship with an emotional vampire?” or if you might be one yourself. Sometimes, we all have the capacity to be draining, but with mindful compassion we can catch ourselves early and make a shift.
Part Two of the book offers a hands-on approach for facing the most prevalent negative emotions and building positive ones Each chapter is called a “transformation” in which you learn how to transform a negative emotion into its counterpoint. For instance, fear is transformed with courage, frustration with patience, and jealousy with self-esteem.
You learn to do this in your life by taking a wealth of quizzes, from Dr. Orloff’s patient studies, and her own intimate journey with each emotion.
Emotional Freedom is the rare book that can open your mind and your heart to more empowerment. Give yourself a gift and read it.
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM: LIBERATE YOURSELF FROM NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE
UPLIFTING NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER BY Judith Orloff MD (in paperback now!)
Judith Orloff MD, a UCLA psychiatrist, presents her unique approach for viewing emotions as a path to spiritual and intuitive awakening. You'll learn how to stop absorbing other people's negativity and how to stay calm instead of reacting when your buttons get . Synthesizing neuroscience and intuitive/energy medicine, this book liberates you from fear—and the emotional vampires who suck you dry.
Purchase book plus get your "Embrace Joy" gift collection at http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/
of feeling frustrated, lonely, or stopped by fear."
-Deepak Chopra
I'd like to tell you about my friend and colleague Judith Orloff MD - a UCLA psychiatrist and a pioneer who bridges mainstream medicine with intuition, energy medicine, and spirituality. She invites you on a remarkable journey where you can embrace more happiness and mastery over negativity than you may have ever known. Our world is in the midst of a meltdown. She describes how to stay intuitively and spiritually centered in our times.
Dr. Orloff celebrates the exciting paperback launch of her New York Times bestseller Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life. She is treating you to an incredible one-time book-launch offer with special gifts from herself and friends such as Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Joan Borysenko, Dr. Michael Beckwith, and more!
To purchase the book and receive your "Celebrate Joy" special gift collection go to:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/
In Emotional Freedom Dr. Orloff states:
“I’m presenting the unique process I use with patients and in my own life to view emotions as a path to spiritual and intuitive awakening (not EFT). I synthesize traditional medicine with energy medicine to offer you new tools to master emotions and become heroes in your own life. Inner peace leads to outer peace in the world.”
Publisher's Weekly’s review of Emotional Freedom says:
“Superbly written..Dr. Orloff regards emotions as a training ground for the soul, and views ‘every victory over fear, anxiety, and resentment as a way to develop your spiritual muscles.’”
Emotional Freedom has rave reviews from USA Today, Dr. Candace Pert, Christiane Northrup, M.D., Caroline Myss, Dean Ornish, M.D., and Mary Oliver, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. They call it “spectacular,” “a must-read,” “a heartfelt, accessible guide,” and “resolutely compassionate.”
In the book, you will discover:
• Four questions to transform fear with courage
• What your emotional type is
• How to stop absorbing the emotions of others
• How to combat emotional vampires with compassion
• The spiritual meaning of depression and hope
Purchase book and claim your "Celebrate Joy" special gift collection at:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/
If you'd like to liberate yourself from negative emotions and compassionately own the moment in all situations instead of just reacting when your buttons get pushed go to:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/
Nelson Mandela said: “As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Help liberate others and please share this announcement with them. Your support makes us happy and grateful!
For more inspiration and to learn about the Emotional Freedom book tour schedule and sign up for our affiliate program visit DrJudithOrloff.com.
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life written by Judith Orloff MD is the perfect book to come along at the perfect time. I couldn’t put it down!
We live in a tumultuous, fear-dominated period in history and must become masters at overcoming fear and other negative emotions so they don’t sabotage our power. With skill and compassion, Dr. Judith Orloff shows us how to become heroes in our own lives by transforming anger, loneliness, and envy and more rather than simply “reacting” when our buttons get pushed.
An Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and intuition expert, Dr. Orloff shares her wealth of personal and professional knowledge to illuminate the field of emotions. She draws on wisdom from traditional medicine but goes light years beyond it by presenting emotions as a path to spiritual, energetic, and intuitive awakening. Why is this leap so important? The intellect has restricted vision about emotions, but bringing intuition into the feeling realm lets us go deeper within. Dr. Orloff asks us to see every success, every heartbreak, every loss, every gain as vehicles for transformation. She teaches readers to view emotions in a non-ordinary way, rather than simply making you happy or miserable. Everyone will benefit from the insightful instructions that continually guide us and also from the author’s intimate personal journey and well-earned life wisdom. Judith is the kind of doctor we wish we all had.
Part One of the book introduces you to the four components of emotions: their biology, spirituality, energetic power, and psychology. Understanding each component in yourself will lead to inner breakthroughs that aren’t possible without seeing the whole picture. It offers a self-assessment test to evaluate your current level of emotional freedom so you can increase it practicing this book’s principles. Dr. Orloff invites you into her romance with sleep and dreams as revolutionary states of consciousness. She also helps readers determine their “emotional type” including “the intellectual,” and “the empath. “so they can make the most of their own finest qualities. As an empath, Dr. Orloff knows the gigantic challenges of being an “emotional sponge” and teaches other empaths who’ve been labeled “overly sensitive” how to stay grounded in an often-overwhelming world.
You’ll enjoy the “emotional vampire survival guide”--specific advice for dealing with emotional drainers. We’ve all met them. You’re talking to someone, when suddenly you feel anxious, depressed, or tired. She describes the narcissist, the victim, the controller, and other types of vampires. Plus, there are quizzes to help you determine “Are you in a relationship with an emotional vampire?” or if you might be one yourself. Sometimes, we all have the capacity to be draining, but with mindful compassion we can catch ourselves early and make a shift.
Part Two of the book offers a hands-on approach for facing the most prevalent negative emotions and building positive ones Each chapter is called a “transformation” in which you learn how to transform a negative emotion into its counterpoint. For instance, fear is transformed with courage, frustration with patience, and jealousy with self-esteem.
You learn to do this in your life by taking a wealth of quizzes, from Dr. Orloff’s patient studies, and her own intimate journey with each emotion.
Emotional Freedom is the rare book that can open your mind and your heart to more empowerment. Give yourself a gift and read it.
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM: LIBERATE YOURSELF FROM NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE
UPLIFTING NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER BY Judith Orloff MD (in paperback now!)
Judith Orloff MD, a UCLA psychiatrist, presents her unique approach for viewing emotions as a path to spiritual and intuitive awakening. You'll learn how to stop absorbing other people's negativity and how to stay calm instead of reacting when your buttons get . Synthesizing neuroscience and intuitive/energy medicine, this book liberates you from fear—and the emotional vampires who suck you dry.
Purchase book plus get your "Embrace Joy" gift collection at http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/
Thursday, February 17, 2011
UNLEARN YOUR PAIN TOUR
How to “Unlearn Your Pain”
Howard Schubiner, MD
There are literally millions of people currently suffering with chronic pain. My work with people with chronic pain has shown me what a devastating impact pain can have on one’s life. Every day, someone tells me that pain has “ruined their life,” or that they have become a “professional pain patient.” Since I started the Unlearn Your Pain program in 2003, I have learned a great deal about pain and I am thrilled to report that we have seen amazing results in the majority of people who enter this program. In fact, a recent follow up study showed that people who entered the 4-week program at Providence Hospital in Southfield, MI had the following results. 67% had at least a 30% reduction in pain at a 6 month follow up evaluation and 54% had at least a 50% reduction in pain. These are remarkable results, given that the average duration of pain was about 9 years!
There are several steps to Unlearning Your Pain and the complete program for healing can be found in my book. In this article, I will offer a synopsis of the steps that I have found helpful in reversing chronic pain.
First, it is critical to understand what is causing the pain. This might seem easy, but often it is more difficult than one might imagine. Those with chronic pain that is caused by cancer often require strong pain medications. I do not work with pain caused by cancer, fractures, or infections/inflammation. However, the majority of people with chronic pain have pain that is diagnosed as fibromyalgia, migraine or tension headaches, or irritable bowel syndrome. The pain in those disorders is just as real as the pain caused by cancer, fractures or infections. However, that pain is not caused by a structural disease process in the body. It is caused by learned nerve pathways. Learned nerve pathways are simply connections between the brain and body that produce actions in the body. If you learned to ride a bicycle as a child, that develops a learned nerve pathway. That pathway will always exist and you’ll be able to ride a bike later in life. Signing a name, eating, walking, and reacting to every day events are all caused by learned nerve pathways. Cutting edge neuroscience has shown that pain pathways can be learned and can persist for year in the absence of a disease process in the body. This is the cause of most chronic pain, including most back and neck pain. (Please see my website or my book for a detailed description of how back and neck pains are typically caused by these pathways.)
Once you have determined that your pain is caused by learned nerve pathways (this is also known as Tension Myositis Syndrome, a term coined by Dr. John Sarno in The Mindbody Prescription, or Mind Body Syndrome, as described in Unlearn Your Pain), the next step is to figure out what has led to the development of these pain pathways. There is a detailed process for doing this in Unlearn Your Pain. Briefly, a careful review of life events is usually sufficient to find connections between stressful life events and the onset of these pain syndromes. Here are a couple of examples that illustrate how stressful life events can trigger severe and chronic pain.
A 45 year old woman was abused both physically and sexually for much of her childhood. She developed anxiety in childhood which was manifest by fear of being alone and the need to connect as much as possible to the people in her life, including her abusers. This is a common reaction to abuse; with the other common reaction being fear and inability to connect to anyone and the inability to feel emotions. She also blamed herself for the abuse and develop the belief that she was unworthy of love and self-esteem. As she grew up, she experienced other events which caused fear and anxiety, such as the loss of a boyfriend (who spread false rumors about her), the death of a parent, a divorce after her husband “cheated” on her and the loss of a job (after being harassed by a boss). Each of these stressors in later life caused the onset of a new symptom. Initially irritable bowel syndrome, then severe headaches, then TMJ pain, then pelvic pain, and finally widespread pain, diagnosed as fibromyalgia.
A 47 year old woman presented with head pain for 17 years. She had seen over 20 physicians, including several headache clinics and had even had facial surgery to try to alleviate the pain. She had also been on over 20 different medications without relief. Her mother was described as “being in her own world” and her father was described as being “bipolar.” When her father was in a bad mood, he would grab her by her collar and scream at her: “You idiot; you jerk; what’s wrong with you?; can’t you do anything right?” These events recurred on a regular basis during her childhood. She developed no symptoms until she was 30 years old. One day, she obtained a new pair of glasses and immediately upon putting them on, she developed pain on the left side of her head which lasted for 17 years. When asked about the stressors in her life when she got her new glasses, she realized that she has just gotten a new boss, who was a “mean and nasty woman” who used to yell and scream at her.
The third step in the process of healing is to recognize that the pain is caused by learned nerve pathways, that there is no serious physical or structural problem in your body, and that you can actually get better! This is a powerful and important step that activates healing and serves to reduce pain.
Finally, I suggest a process to reverse the pain. In the program I’ve developed, it consists of a 4-week course of exercises designed to better understand and cope with stress and emotional distress. The program is contained in Unlearn Your Pain and consists of therapeutic writing exercises, meditative exercises, sets of affirmations, and learning to make necessary changes to promote contentment and well-being. It is truly amazing to see people take on the challenge of changing their lives in order to reverse their pain. Some people get better quite quickly as they learn to let go of anger, guilt, or fear from prior stressful events. Others need to make significant changes in their lives in order to free themselves from stressful situations that are ongoing. Some people gradually work on taking control and stopping their pain over time. The key to resolving chronic pain is understanding what is causing it. If you suffer from chronic pain and haven’t been helped by the traditional medical or alternative health methods, you might be suffering from a condition (learned nerve pathways) that can be reversed. And it might not be that difficult to accomplish.
The story behind Unlearn Your Pain
Howard Schubiner, MD
Unlearn Your Pain began with a single patient who was referred to me about 8 years ago. This woman had severe pain in her back and hip. Despite two surgeries, pain medications, injections, and physical therapy, she continued to have pain and walked with a cane. She contacted me after reading a book by Dr. John Sarno entitled The Mindbody Prescription. This book gave her a completely new and different view of her pain and after reading it and applying its principles, she began to feel better. Her pain resolved within a matter of weeks.
Her story led me on a path of seeking to understand this phenomenon and I met with Dr. Sarno, did a great deal of reading, developed a program that used the principles espoused by Dr. Sarno, and started doing scientific research to document the value of these interventions. The result of all this work over the past 8 years is Unlearn Your Pain.
People who suffer chronic pain have real pain, Doctor’s treat the part of the body that’s feeling the pain, but that is rarely the true source of the pain. If medical tests do not reveal any serious structural problem then chronic pain is due to overly sensitized connections between the brain and the body. Overtime they become wired into the brain’s circuitry. The nervous system learns to create chronic pain.
This book is divided into three parts. The first part (consisting of the first four chapters) describes a new and revolutionary understanding of the causes of most chronic pain. Most people with chronic pain do not have a structural, disease process in the area where the pain is being felt. This is surprising, as most doctors would think that if you have a pain in the arm, there must be something wrong with the arm. Although tumors, fractures, infections and inflammation can cause pain, often the cause of chronic pain is learned nerve pathways.
The second part of the Unlearn Your Pain is a chapter that guides the reader through an exploration of their life and helps them to understand what events led to the development of their pain syndrome. Early life stressors commonly set up learned nerve pathways that can be triggered later in life. For example, a young girl who grows up with a very critical, and emotionally abusive father develops pathways of fear, self-doubt, and self-criticism. If she marries a man who treats her in a similar way, those old pathways are easily activated and her body may react to the internal pressures that result. New pain pathways can develop that are her body’s way to alerting her to the “danger” her husband poses to her. The pain is caused by nerve pathways in the absence of a physical disease process.
The third part of the book is a comprehensive guide to healing chronic pain. There is a 4-week program designed to help people fix their lives and stop their pain. Therapeutic writing exercises form a powerful tool to uncover stressful situations and cope with them better. A meditation CD is included and guides the reader towards changing the pain pathways.
Two research studies have now been conducted demonstrating that this program is effective in promoting reductions in pain, even in people who have had pain for many years. The power of the program is that it gives readers the clear message that their pain is real, but curable, and that they have the power to accomplish this goal.
Unlearn Your Pain is available from http://www.amazon.com or from www.unlearnyourpain.com
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Losing Your Only, by Dr Debi Yohn
Blog Tour for: Losing Your Only, by Dr Debi Yohn.
For those who seek to understand it, death is a highly creative force. The highest
spiritual values of life can originate from the thought and study of death.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross 1926–2004
A Higher Power
My experience has taught me that only our spirituality can help us explain the unexplainable. When we experience something as terrible as losing our Only, we question our beliefs and may come to doubt the god or higher power we believe in. But instead of giving in to that doubt, we can open our hearts and take the opportunity to expand and strengthen our belief system. This can become an unexpected gift from those that have passed on.
BELIEF SYSTEMS
The loss of a child is indescribably painful no matter your religion. I believe in the existence of a god, a higher power, something bigger than we can see, but this book is not aimed at followers of any particular belief system. Spiritual beliefs are intensely personal, but I hope to speak to the spiritual core shared by followers of all faiths.
Our family embraced spirituality. We lived in lots of different places, so we attended churches of many denominations and took part in all kinds of religious celebrations with families of other faiths. I wanted my son to be accepting of all people and beliefs.
One day in the car, where so many long conversations take place, Levi asked what religion we were. I told him that his father and I were sure that a single religion does not hold the entire truth, but that we believed in a higher power and in guardian angels. Our spirituality, I explained to Levi, was based on three simple tenets:
Be the best person you can be. Do no harm to anyone or anything. Leave this world a better place for your being here.
Helping Hands and Hearts
All the planning and preparation we do in life means nothing if the universe has a different plan for us. Of course there’s nothing wrong with making plans of our own, but events like the death of a child remind us that we are not in complete control.
We can fight the flow of life, wasting energy asking, “What if?” Or we can listen to our intuition, and let it guide us from within. Where does this intuition come from? According to my beliefs, we are all part of a larger system, a spiritual family that will support and guide us if we let them. I believe that intuition is spiritual guidance from God and our guardian angels, including our loved ones who have already passed on.
GUARDIAN ANGELS
I believe that we are watched over by two sorts of guardian angels. Earth angels are the special people in your life that support you unconditionally, even in your darkest moments. Heavenly angels are your spiritual guides. !eir encouragement manifests itself as your intuition, and they carry you when you don’t have the energy to think. I believe
that these spiritual guides include all those that have passed on before us, like our grandparents, our parents, our friends, even our pets.
The only way I found to survive the terrible shift in my reality when Levi died was to ask for help from my higher power and my angels. I thank all of them every day for the guidance they give me. Of course, it hasn’t always been easy, and there have been many lessons I’ve had to learn. I had to open my heart and listen so I could walk this path.
My faith was helped by the fact that in the days that followed Levi’s death, many things happened that seem amazing with hindsight and which have confirmed my faith in the spiritual world.
Whatever you choose to call them, there are people in your life who emerge at these most devastating times. They hold your hand, offer you their shoulder, and give their silent, unconditional support as well as much-needed practical help. These are the people you know you will be able to turn to as you move through the grief process.
Thank you for your interest in Losing Your Only, by Dr Debi Yohn. This is a very personal story which helped Dr Yohn discover her purpose – to motivate and support parents and others to live life to their highest potential. The digit version of the book is currently available at http://losingyouronly.com/get-the-book/. If you would like to be notified about the upcoming print and audio release, please visit this page and send Dr Debi your name and email address.
A Comment From Dr Debi Yohn About Losing Your Only
My current book, Losing Your Only is written to the Parents or Loved Ones that have lost an only child. This book is written from my own personal experience. When my only child was killed in a car accident, my life took a different path. I was living in Shanghai China. He was going to college in USA. In my grief, I discovered that my purpose is to motivate, and support parents and all clients live to their life potential. Losing a child is horrific, losing an only child brings it up a notch. So what do we do with that kind of experience? We have decisions to make. We can live or we can die with the child. I decided not only to live, but to thrive.
About Dr Debi Yohn
Dr. Debi Yohn is an international psychologist, author and speaker with 32 years experience living and working on 3 continents. Her work has taken her to Saudi Arabia for 7 years and Shanghai, China for 8 years. While in Shanghai, she founded “Lifeline Shanghai” a “911” service to help English speakers in need. She currently lives fulltime in Huatulco, Mexico and travels the world working with her clients, writing and managing her diversified business and charitable interests. To read Dr Debi’s full bio, visit http://bookpromotionservices.com/2010/12/02/dr-debi-yohn-biography/
For those who seek to understand it, death is a highly creative force. The highest
spiritual values of life can originate from the thought and study of death.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross 1926–2004
A Higher Power
My experience has taught me that only our spirituality can help us explain the unexplainable. When we experience something as terrible as losing our Only, we question our beliefs and may come to doubt the god or higher power we believe in. But instead of giving in to that doubt, we can open our hearts and take the opportunity to expand and strengthen our belief system. This can become an unexpected gift from those that have passed on.
BELIEF SYSTEMS
The loss of a child is indescribably painful no matter your religion. I believe in the existence of a god, a higher power, something bigger than we can see, but this book is not aimed at followers of any particular belief system. Spiritual beliefs are intensely personal, but I hope to speak to the spiritual core shared by followers of all faiths.
Our family embraced spirituality. We lived in lots of different places, so we attended churches of many denominations and took part in all kinds of religious celebrations with families of other faiths. I wanted my son to be accepting of all people and beliefs.
One day in the car, where so many long conversations take place, Levi asked what religion we were. I told him that his father and I were sure that a single religion does not hold the entire truth, but that we believed in a higher power and in guardian angels. Our spirituality, I explained to Levi, was based on three simple tenets:
Be the best person you can be. Do no harm to anyone or anything. Leave this world a better place for your being here.
Helping Hands and Hearts
All the planning and preparation we do in life means nothing if the universe has a different plan for us. Of course there’s nothing wrong with making plans of our own, but events like the death of a child remind us that we are not in complete control.
We can fight the flow of life, wasting energy asking, “What if?” Or we can listen to our intuition, and let it guide us from within. Where does this intuition come from? According to my beliefs, we are all part of a larger system, a spiritual family that will support and guide us if we let them. I believe that intuition is spiritual guidance from God and our guardian angels, including our loved ones who have already passed on.
GUARDIAN ANGELS
I believe that we are watched over by two sorts of guardian angels. Earth angels are the special people in your life that support you unconditionally, even in your darkest moments. Heavenly angels are your spiritual guides. !eir encouragement manifests itself as your intuition, and they carry you when you don’t have the energy to think. I believe
that these spiritual guides include all those that have passed on before us, like our grandparents, our parents, our friends, even our pets.
The only way I found to survive the terrible shift in my reality when Levi died was to ask for help from my higher power and my angels. I thank all of them every day for the guidance they give me. Of course, it hasn’t always been easy, and there have been many lessons I’ve had to learn. I had to open my heart and listen so I could walk this path.
My faith was helped by the fact that in the days that followed Levi’s death, many things happened that seem amazing with hindsight and which have confirmed my faith in the spiritual world.
Whatever you choose to call them, there are people in your life who emerge at these most devastating times. They hold your hand, offer you their shoulder, and give their silent, unconditional support as well as much-needed practical help. These are the people you know you will be able to turn to as you move through the grief process.
Thank you for your interest in Losing Your Only, by Dr Debi Yohn. This is a very personal story which helped Dr Yohn discover her purpose – to motivate and support parents and others to live life to their highest potential. The digit version of the book is currently available at http://losingyouronly.com/get-the-book/. If you would like to be notified about the upcoming print and audio release, please visit this page and send Dr Debi your name and email address.
A Comment From Dr Debi Yohn About Losing Your Only
My current book, Losing Your Only is written to the Parents or Loved Ones that have lost an only child. This book is written from my own personal experience. When my only child was killed in a car accident, my life took a different path. I was living in Shanghai China. He was going to college in USA. In my grief, I discovered that my purpose is to motivate, and support parents and all clients live to their life potential. Losing a child is horrific, losing an only child brings it up a notch. So what do we do with that kind of experience? We have decisions to make. We can live or we can die with the child. I decided not only to live, but to thrive.
About Dr Debi Yohn
Dr. Debi Yohn is an international psychologist, author and speaker with 32 years experience living and working on 3 continents. Her work has taken her to Saudi Arabia for 7 years and Shanghai, China for 8 years. While in Shanghai, she founded “Lifeline Shanghai” a “911” service to help English speakers in need. She currently lives fulltime in Huatulco, Mexico and travels the world working with her clients, writing and managing her diversified business and charitable interests. To read Dr Debi’s full bio, visit http://bookpromotionservices.com/2010/12/02/dr-debi-yohn-biography/
Thursday, May 14, 2009
THE HEART OF MARKETING-A NEW BUSINESS PARADIGM
SL - This Book Can Change the World...
PLEASE READ MY IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHORS ON MY BLOG TOMORROW!!
As you know I’m very careful about what I recommend to you.
But this book . . .
The Heart of Marketing Love Your Customers and They Will Love You Back
(Morgan James Publishing)
. . . is a MUST read for the future of your marketing and the growth of your business.
And no surprise it’s already a best-seller at Amazon - so if you already know you want to get the book and maybe some extras to give to friends since there is a serious discount at Amazon - just go to:
http://theheartofmarketing.com
The authors, husband and wife psychology team and Internet marketers Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski are respected friends of mine — and they are the voice for what is known as Soft Sell Marketing.
Now an international movement, Soft Sell Marketing is creating a heart-based change in commerce — to one of consciousness and conscience, caring and community.
And their latest book The Heart of Marketing is now the published voice for this change!
http://theheartofmarketing.com
Answering 45 questions out of 772 that they received during an Ask Campaign for their “Bridging Heart and Marketing II” conference this book is a soul-inspiring, heart-warming turn-around in how you’ll approach your business from now on.
AND when you purchase the book today you receive Judith & Jim’s invitation to get thousands of dollars in Bonus Gifts from their Gift Sponsors — including David Riklan, Mark Joyner, Christine Kloser, Gregg Braden, Hay House, and of course Yours Truly!
You’ll even have the possibility to win 2 Tickets to Judith & Jim’s October 9-11 “Bridging Heart and Marketing III” conference (a $997 Value).
So get The Heart of Marketing today!
http://theheartofmarketing.com
AND please pass this message on to all your friends inviting them to get The Most Important
Marketing Book of 2009.
Judith & Jim received 43 incredible endorsements including Mark Joyner and David Riklan
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This title may sound a little ‘hoofy-poofy’ but don’t let it fool you. Even if you’re a hard-nosed skeptic who shudders at words like ‘love’ and ‘heart’ this book will radically boost your sales. Feeling good about yourself afterwards will just be a nice side effect.
Mark Joyner - #1 Bestselling Author of “Simpleology” www.SIMPLEology.com
I really like the message embodied in "The Heart of Marketing." Part marketing, part self growth, part spiritual expansion, this book opens the way for your much larger future while changing the way we've all thought about business and making money.
David Riklan - Founder, SelfGrowth.com
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That’s how important this book is to the future of commerce!
So get your copy today - and copies for friends you care about -
http://theheartofmarketing.com
By the way, a percentage of book sales will always be donated to Habitat for Humanity!
Because, as Judith & Jim say,
It’s ALL in the Connection,
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