Recommendations based on "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying"

In this unique and transformational guide to healing, bibliotherapist and counsellor Bijal Shah explores the restorative power of reading. Bibliotherapy traces the history of how therapeutic reading evolved - including the important role played by the best writers such as the Stoics, Montaigne, Eliot and Wordsworth. In doing so, Bijal offers first-hand stories from clients who have found solace in great works of literature when struggling with grief, relationships or illness. Full of practical advice and insights into how bibliotherapy really works, Bijal offers an A to Z reading list of books for every mood and need. A much-needed reminder of how comforting and life-changing reading can be, Bibliotherapy is a sumptuous celebration of books that will invite you to see them as more than just an escape, but a legitimate form of self-care.'Utterly fascinating. I have long felt that books can be medicine. Now I understand why. Read this book. Feel better.' Beth Kempton, bestselling author of Wabi Sabi: Japanese wisdom for a perfectly imperfect life'One of the most fascinating books that I have read in years! Beautifully written and full of insights, this book demonstrates the healing power of stories and how you can transform your life through bibliotherapy.' Simon Alexander Ong, bestselling author of Energize, international keynote speaker and award-winning coach.

Examines the process of personal growth exploring the relevance of psychotherapy and behavioral science for mature interpersonal relationships

NATIONAL BESTSELLER A vital approach to combating climate change and creating a better world for us and our future generations—from beloved Buddhist and environmental activist Thich Nhat Hanh We face a potent intersection of crises: ecological destruction, global warming, inflation, rising inequality, racial injustice, and the lasting impacts of a devastating pandemic. As shown time and time again, the situation is beyond urgent. To face these challenges, we need to find ways to strengthen our clarity, compassion, and courage to act. As beloved Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh said, “When you wake up and you see that the Earth is not just the environment, the Earth is us, you touch the nature of interbeing.” He is blazingly clear: there’s one thing we all have the power to change, which can make all the difference, and that is our mind. Our way of looking, seeing, and thinking determines every choice we make, the everyday actions we take or avoid, how we relate to those we love or oppose, and how we react in a crisis. This book is for anyone who cares about the growing and devastating impacts of climate change, mindful consumption, how human and nature’s interconnectedness is paramount for the well-being of all humanity, and creating a better, regenerative world for us future generations. Energetic and altruistic, and filled of Thich Nhat Hanh’s inspiring meditations, Zen stories and experiences from his own activism, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet shows us individual actions help guide institutional change, and bring healing and harmony to ourselves, our relationships, and our planet Earth.

An acclaimed philosopher shows us how—in an age of unprecedented anxiety—we can find fulfillment by embracing the present and living more fully in the now. He is "the perfect guide for a course correction in life" (from the Introduction by Deepak Chopra).  The brain can only assume its proper behavior when consciousness is doing what it is designed for: not writhing and whirling to get out of present experience, but being effortlessly aware of it. Alan Watts draws on the wisdom of Eastern philosophy and religion in this timeless and classic guide to living a more fulfilling life. His central insight is more relevant now than ever: when we spend all of our time worrying about the future and lamenting the past, we are unable to enjoy the present moment—the only one we are actually able to inhabit. Watts offers the liberating message that true certitude and security come only from understanding that impermanence and insecurity are the essence of our existence. He highlights the futility of endlessly chasing moving goalposts, whether they consist of financial success, stability, or escape from pain, and shows that it is only by acknowledging what we do not know that we can learn anything truly worth knowing. In The Wisdom of Insecurity, Watts explains complex concepts in beautifully simple terms, making this the kind of book you can return to again and again for comfort and insight in challenging times. “Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’” —Los Angeles Times

By the longtime Guardian science journalist, a groundbreaking exploration of the science of enlightenment and mental wellness, illuminated by twin perspectives, ancient and modern: the spiritual wisdom of Siddhartha Gautama and the revelations of today’s scientists, who are confirming the Buddha’s profound insights into the human mindIn the fifth century BCE, in northern India, Siddhartha, the wandering sage who became the Buddha, developed a program, rooted in meditation and mindfulness, for mastering the mind and achieving lasting peace and contentment. Twenty-five centuries later, humans have transformed everything about our world—except our brains, which remain the same powerful yet flawed instruments possessed by our ancestors. What if the solution we seek to the psychological problems of life in the digital age—distraction, anxiety, addiction, loss of deep meaning—had already been worked out by the Buddha in ancient India? Appealing to readers of Eastern wisdom and Jon Kabat-Zinn, as well as to fans of bestsellers by Oliver Sacks and Malcolm Gladwell, acclaimed science writer and practicing Buddhist James Kingsland reveals how scientists are now unlocking the remarkable secrets of Siddhartha’s brain.Moving effortlessly between science and scripture, Kingsland charts Siddhartha’s spiritual journey and explains how new research by leading neuroscientists and clinical psychologists—many of whom are interviewed in these pages—suggests that mindfulness practice reconfigures our brains to make us sharper, smarter, healthier, and happier, and that it can help treat stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, hypertension, and substance abuse. There have even been hints that meditation can enhance immune function, slow cellular aging, and keep dementia at bay. Featuring six guided meditations, Siddhartha’s Brain is a practical and inspiring odyssey of mind and spirit.“Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.”—Siddhartha

Since its publication in 1963, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind has inspired millions of readers to unlock the unseen forces and invisible power within them. Dr Murphy's mind-focusing techniques are based on a simple principle: If you believe in something without reservation and picture it in your mind, you can remove the subconscious obstacles that prevent you from achieving the results you want, and your belief can become a reality.As practical as it is inspiring, Dr Murphy's work uses real-life examples to demonstrate how anyone can unleash their extraordinary mental powers to build self-confidence, create harmonious relationships, gain professional success, amass wealth, conquer fears and phobias, banish bad habits, affect physical healing, and promote overall well-being and happiness.With this book as your guide, there are no limits to the prosperity, happiness, and peace of mind you can achieve. Inside you'll discover how you can use the power of your subconscious mind to:- Get the promotion you want, the raise you need, and the recognition you deserve- Build the confidence to do the things you never dared, but always wanted to do in life- Improve your health and even cure your body of many common ailments- Overcome phobias, compulsions, and bad habits- Develop friendships and enhance existing relationships with co-workers, family, and friends- Strengthen your marriage or primary love relationship- Discover the secret to eternal youthWith easy-to-understand practical techniques and actual case studies, Dr Murphy shows you how you can apply and direct the power of your subconscious mind to achieve all your goals and dreams.A must read self-help book on manifesting a better life for oneself through the law of attraction.

Dr. Laing's first purpose is to make madness and the process of going mad comprehensible. In this, with case studies of schizophrenic patients, he succeeds brilliantly, but he does more: through a vision of sanity and madness as 'degrees of conjunction and disjunction between two persons where the one is sane by common consent' he offers a rich existential analysis of personal alienation.The outsider, estranged from himself and society, cannot experience either himself or others as 'real'. He invents a false self and with it he confronts both the outside world and his own despair. The disintegration of his real self keeps pace with the growing unreality of his false self until, in the extremes of schizophrenic breakdown, the whole personality disintegrates.

In his widely praised book, award-winning psychologist Jonathan Haidt examines the world's philosophical wisdom through the lens of psychological science, showing how a deeper understanding of enduring maxims-like Do unto others as you would have others do unto you, or What doesn't kill you makes you stronger-can enrich and even transform our lives.

THE RENOWNED JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGIST AND AUTHOR OF 'TRANSFORMATION' AND 'OWNING YOUR OWN SHADOW' BRINGS THE HIDDEN GIFT OF ECSTASY BACK INTO OUR LIVES.Robert A. Johnson has taken tens of thousands of readers on spiritual and psychological journeys towards inner transformation. In 'Ecstasy', he reconnects with the powerful and life-changing ecstatic element that lies dormant – but long-repressed – within us.Ecstasy was once considered a divine gift, Johnson tells us, one that could lift mortals out of ordinary reality and into higher world. But because Western culture has systematically repressed this ecstatic human impulse, we are unable to truly experience its transformative power.Johnson penetrates the surface of modern life to reveal the ancient dynamics of our humanity, pointing out practical means for achieving a healthy expression of our true inner selves. Through dreams, rituals, and celebrations, he shows us how to return to these original life-giving principles and restore inner harmony.Robert A. Johnson is the best-selling author of 'He, She, We, Inner Work, ' and 'Femininity Lost and Regained. '

From novelist and master psychotherapist Irvin Yalom, author of Lying on the Couch and When Nietzsche Wept, comes the world's first accurate group-therapy novel, a mesmerizing story of two men's search for meaning.At one time or another, all of us have wondered what we'd do in the face of death. Suddenly confronted with his own mortality after a routine checkup, distinguished psychotherapist Julius Hertzfeld is forced to reexamine his life and work. Has he really made an enduring difference in the lives of his patients? And what about the patients he's failed? What has happened to them? Now that he is wiser and riper, can he rescue them yet?Reaching beyond the safety of his thriving San Francisco practice, Julius feels compelled to seek out Philip Slate, whom he treated for sex addiction some twenty-three years earlier. At that time, Philip's only means of connecting to humans was through brief sexual interludes with countless women, and Julius's therapy did not change that. He meets with Philip, who claims to have cured himself -- by reading the pessimistic and misanthropic philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.Much to Julius's surprise, Philip has become a philosophical counselor and requests that Julius provide him with the supervisory hours he needs to obtain a license to practice. In return, Philip offers to tutor Julius in the work of Schopenhauer. Julius hesitates. How can Philip possibly become a therapist? He is still the same arrogant, uncaring, self-absorbed person he had always been. In fact, in every way he resembles his mentor, Schopenhauer. But eventually they strike a Faustian bargain: Julius agrees to supervise Philip, provided that Philip first joins his therapy group. Julius is hoping that six months with the group will address Philip's misanthropy and that by being part of a circle of fellow patients, he will develop the relationship skills necessary to become a therapist.Philip enters the group, but he is more interested in educating the members in Schopenhauer's philosophy -- which he claims is all the therapy anyone should need -- than he is in their individual problems. Soon Julius and Philip, using very different therapeutic approaches, are competing for the hearts and minds of the group members.Is this going to be Julius's swan song -- a splintered group and years of good work down the drain? Or will all the members, including Philip, find a way to rise to the occasion that brings with it the potential for extraordinary change? In The Schopenhauer Cure, Irvin Yalom elegantly weaves the true story of Schopenhauer's psychological life throughout the narrative, knitting together fact and fiction to form a compellingly readable tale.