To Live in the Center of the Moment

To Live in the Center of the Moment
Author: Barbara Frey Waxman
Publisher: University of Virginia Press
Total Pages: 208
Release: 1997
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780813917573

Waxman (English, U. of North Carolina) compares autobiographical writings that cover themes related to aging, namely the relationships between elderly parents and middle-aged children, the experience of turning 70, the role of race, philosophical insights and quasi- mystical experiences by the aging, and the representation of elders as sages and sibyls. She discusses works by Philip Roth, Madeleine L'Engle, Lucille Clifton, Doris Grumbach, May Sarton, Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou, Velma Wallis, Howell Raines, Donald Hall, and Florida Scott- Maxwell. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Abandonment to Divine Providence

Abandonment to Divine Providence
Author: Jean Pierre de Caussade
Publisher: Ignatius Press
Total Pages: 454
Release: 2011-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1586174711

God is to be found in the simplest of our daily activities and especially through total surrender to whatever is His will for each of us. That is the message of this 18th-century inspirational classic by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. Its encouragement to live in the present moment, accepting everyday obstacles with humility and love, has guided generations of seekers to spiritual peace and holiness. In this timeless spiritual classic, de Caussade presents the simple, profound gospel message that Jesus lived and taught: My meat is to do the will of my Father in heaven. The author states, The will of God gives to all things a supernatural and divine value for the soul submitting to it. The duties it imposes and those it contains become holy and perfect because everything it touches shares its divine character.This special volume of the famous spiritual treatise also includes the many insightful letters of Father de Caussade on the practice of self-abandonment. These numerous letters provide a great additional source of wisdom and much practical guidance for how to grow in abandonment and to deepen our union with God in our daily lives.De Caussade shows that this practice of self-abandonment to God's will is the key to attaining true peace and virtue, and that it is readily available to all people - from beginners to those well advanced in the spiritual life. He also shows how to determine what God's will is for us. He reveals that it is not extraordinary feats that God expects for our growth in holiness, but rather heroic attention to every detail in our lives and humble acceptance of our daily lot in life as coming from His hand. The rich spiritual lessons in this book have stood the test of time, offering real and practical assistance to all people because its message is simple and clear, one that the reader will find to be a rare treasure of inspiration and direction to be referred to again and again.

Present Moment Wonderful Moment (Revised Edition)

Present Moment Wonderful Moment (Revised Edition)
Author: Thich Nhat Hanh
Publisher: Parallax Press
Total Pages: 155
Release: 2022-11-08
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1952692237

Beloved Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh offers 79 meditations to help you through your daily routines in a peaceful and mindful way and connect to the joy of the present moment Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. This beautifully illustrated book shares a simple verse with an enlightening commentary that will give you the space and heart to live each day in a connected and calm way. Developed during a summer retreat in Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh's meditation center in France, these poetic verses were collected to help people practice mindfulness. The result is a handbook of practical, down-to-earth verses. These gathas, or mindfulness verses, are poetic verse designed to turn ordinary daily activities such as washing the dishes, driving the car, or standing in line, into opportunities to return to a natural state of mindfulness and happiness. Reciting these poetic yet practical verses can help us to slow down and enjoy each moment of our lives.

Present Moment Awareness

Present Moment Awareness
Author: Shannon Duncan
Publisher: New World Library
Total Pages: 162
Release: 2011-02-09
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 1608680002

Filled with powerful but easily accessible concepts and exercises, Present Moment Awareness shows readers how they can drop their emotional baggage, calm their worries about the future, and start enjoying the peace and joyfulness that can only be found in the Now. Author Shannon Duncan reveals how opening to the present moment can allow us to discover the limiting perceptions, emotional turmoil, and habitual reactions that so often dictate our experience of life. He shows how we can discover the true causes of our stress and discontent, transform our emotions from rulers into advisers, and start appreciating the gift of life, right here and now.

Homo Prospectus

Homo Prospectus
Author: Martin E. P. Seligman
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 401
Release: 2016-06-14
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 019937449X

Our species is misnamed. Though sapiens defines human beings as "wise" what humans do especially well is to prospect the future. We are homo prospectus. In this book, Martin E. P. Seligman, Peter Railton, Roy F. Baumeister, and Chandra Sripada argue it is anticipating and evaluating future possibilities for the guidance of thought and action that is the cornerstone of human success. Much of the history of psychology has been dominated by a framework in which people's behavior is driven by past history (memory) and present circumstances (perception and motivation). Homo Prospectus reassesses this idea, pushing focus to the future front and center and opening discussion of a new field of Psychology and Neuroscience. The authors delve into four modes in which prospection operates: the implicit mind, deliberate thought, mind-wandering, and collective (social) imagination. They then explore prospection's role in some of life's most enduring questions: Why do people think about the future? Do we have free will? What is the nature of intuition, and how might it function in ethics? How does emotion function in human psychology? Is there a common causal process in different psychopathologies? Does our creativity change with age? In this remarkable convergence of research in philosophy, statistics, decision theory, psychology, and neuroscience, Homo Prospectus shows how human prospection fundamentally reshapes our understanding of key cognitive processes, thereby improving individual and social functioning. It aims to galvanize interest in this new science from scholars in psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, as well as an educated public curious about what makes humanity what it is.

A Moment for Me

A Moment for Me
Author: Catherine Polan Orzech
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
Total Pages: 211
Release: 2021-01-02
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1684035201

If you could do one thing for yourself today, why not do a quick mindfulness ritual? In our busy, high-stress lives, sometimes we all need to slow down, breathe, and just be. But, as easy as that sounds, many of us are intimidated by the practice of meditation. Fortunately, you don’t have to experience a divine awakening or reach profound enlightenment to take advantage of this ancient practice. The simple rituals in this take-anywhere guide can help you get started—right now! In A Moment for Me, you’ll learn to create a personal and well-rounded mindfulness practice to last you all year long. Featuring 52 satisfying and easy rituals, you’ll find quick inspiration to help you make mindfulness a regular part of your routine. The best part? You can use this book as a weekly dose of spiritual insight, or use each chapter as a standalone ritual. Whatever feels comfortable and meaningful to you! So, why not get started today? Mindfulness meditation has never been so simple.

Mindfulness and the 12 Steps

Mindfulness and the 12 Steps
Author: Thérèse Jacobs-Stewart
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 189
Release: 2010-05-20
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 1592859879

A fresh resource to help those in recovery from addiction find their own spiritual path through the Buddhist practice of mindfulness. For those of us in recovery, Mindfulness and the 12 Steps offers a fresh approach to developing our own spiritual path through the Buddhist practice of mindfulness, or bringing one's awareness to focus on the present moment. We can revisit each of the Twelve Steps, exploring the interplay of ideas between mindfulness and Twelve Step traditions--from the idea of living "one day at a time" to the emphasis on prayer and meditation--and learn to incorporate mindfulness into our path toward lifelong sobriety. Through reflections, questions for inquiry, and stories from Buddhist teachers and others who practice mindfulness in recovery, Mindfulness and the 12 Steps will help us awaken new thinking and insights into what it means to live fully--body, mind, and spirit--in the here and now.

Own The Moment

Own The Moment
Author: Carl Lentz
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2017-10-31
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 150117701X

This engaging and inspirational book by Carl Lentz, the rock star pastor of Hillsong NYC, shows us the way toward a more connected, spiritually-grounded, and fulfilled life. When you think of a Christian pastor, you probably don’t envision a tattooed thirty-something who wears a motorcycle jacket, listens to hip-hop music, references The Walking Dead and Black Lives Matter in his sermons, and every Sunday draws a standing-room only crowd to a venue normally used for rock concerts—in godless New York City, no less. But then you clearly have never met Carl Lentz. As lead pastor of the first United States branch of global megachurch Hillsong, the former college basketball player is on a mission to make Christianity accessible in the 21st century. In Own The Moment, he shares the unlikely and inspiring story of how he went from being an average teenager who couldn’t care less about church to leading one of the country’s fastest-growing congregations—how one day he is trying to convince a Virginia Beach 7-Eleven clerk to attend his service, and just a few years later he is baptizing a global music icon in an NBA player’s Manhattan bathtub. Amid such candid personal tales, Lentz also offers illuminating readings of Bible passages and practical tips on how to live as a person of faith in an increasingly materialistic world. How do you maintain your values—and pass them onto your children—in a society that worships money and sex and fame? How do you embrace your flaws in this Instagram era that exalts the appearance of perfection? How do you forget about “living the dream” and learn to embrace the beauty of your reality? These are just a few of the many important questions Lentz answers in Own The Moment—a powerful book that redefines not just Christianity but spirituality as a whole.

The Moment of Lift

The Moment of Lift
Author: Melinda Gates
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2019-04-23
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1250313562

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “In her book, Melinda tells the stories of the inspiring people she’s met through her work all over the world, digs into the data, and powerfully illustrates issues that need our attention—from child marriage to gender inequity in the workplace.” — President Barack Obama “The Moment of Lift is an urgent call to courage. It changed how I think about myself, my family, my work, and what’s possible in the world. Melinda weaves together vulnerable, brave storytelling and compelling data to make this one of those rare books that you carry in your heart and mind long after the last page.” — Brené Brown, Ph.D., author of the New York Times #1 bestseller Dare to Lead “Melinda Gates has spent many years working with women around the world. This book is an urgent manifesto for an equal society where women are valued and recognized in all spheres of life. Most of all, it is a call for unity, inclusion and connection. We need this message more than ever.” — Malala Yousafzai "Melinda Gates's book is a lesson in listening. A powerful, poignant, and ultimately humble call to arms." — Tara Westover, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller Educated A debut from Melinda Gates, a timely and necessary call to action for women's empowerment. “How can we summon a moment of lift for human beings – and especially for women? Because when you lift up women, you lift up humanity.” For the last twenty years, Melinda Gates has been on a mission to find solutions for people with the most urgent needs, wherever they live. Throughout this journey, one thing has become increasingly clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you need to stop keeping women down. In this moving and compelling book, Melinda shares lessons she’s learned from the inspiring people she’s met during her work and travels around the world. As she writes in the introduction, “That is why I had to write this book—to share the stories of people who have given focus and urgency to my life. I want all of us to see ways we can lift women up where we live.” Melinda’s unforgettable narrative is backed by startling data as she presents the issues that most need our attention—from child marriage to lack of access to contraceptives to gender inequity in the workplace. And, for the first time, she writes about her personal life and the road to equality in her own marriage. Throughout, she shows how there has never been more opportunity to change the world—and ourselves. Writing with emotion, candor, and grace, she introduces us to remarkable women and shows the power of connecting with one another. When we lift others up, they lift us up, too.