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"Captain, although your abilities intrigue me, you are quite honestly inferior. Mentally, physically. In fact, I am surprised how little improvement there has been in human evolution. Oh, there has been technical advancement, but, how little man himself has changed."In speculative fiction settings with very high technological levels, older Space Opera in particular, transhumans, meaning people who use cybernetic and/or genetic enhancements to give themselves capabilities far in excess of those of ordinary humans, will often be either completely absent or much rarer than you would expect given the stated capabilities of the society they live in. In the older works this was more a case of No Transhumanism Existing As A Distinct Concept Yet, though they did have Evolutionary Levels and/or Mutants which often served the same plot purpose. It's a primary contributor to Schizo Tech.Oddly enough, 20 Minutes into the Future settings, particularly within the Cyber Punk genre, typically feature human capability enhancement prominently. This is probably caused by real-world technological advancements making it seem like this will become reality in the relatively near future, while older works hail from a period when this sort of thing still seemed entirely fantastic and authors therefore rarely included such themes in their stories.Often caused by the fact that Most Writers Are Human: it's tricky to imagine what a fictional society where everyone or at least the majority are no longer recognisably human would be like. One misstep and your work will turn into a pile of Zeerust, or just be plain silly. It can make more sense to have everyone be regular humans wielding nifty supertools rather than transhumans with nifty superbodies and superminds, which also conveniently allows the humans in the audience to relate to the characters better by keeping their thoughts, behavior patterns and limitations familiar. Also done to sidestep What Measure Is a Non-Super?: the idea that humanity might be "superseded" by a more advanced version is repugnant to many, and the more radical the enhancements are, the more likely it will be seen as a kind of Body Horror.Indeed, in older works, it was generally taken for granted that any kind of bionic modification, whether outwardly visible or not, constituted a type of Body Horror that was hard to live with, which is why The Six Million Dollar Man and his ilk only received their enhancements as part of medical treatment for injuries.Naturally enough, Transhumans may take the form of Transhuman Aliens, who Turned Against Their Masters after Man Grew Proud.Transhumans can end up as default villains in Space Opera settings, as it's all too easy to classify someone nonhuman as less-than-human. In that sense it's a form of Fantastic Racism, sometimes called bioism (prejudice against non-biological consciousness or modified life). They may also succumb to an bermensch mentality that drives them to either subjugate "lesser beings" or to forcibly convert them into beings like themselves "for their own good."Subtler but equally unsettling is the thought that not all humans are likely to be able to take advantage of genetic engineering and advanced cybernetics, and the gap between the "haves" and "have-nots" would naturally become even wider as rich people and poor people literally become separate species. In some cases, you will find that villains use radical modifications while the heroes remain more Badass Normal and "pure", leading to What Measure Is a Non-Human?.This is sometimes justified or at least Hand Waved in various fashions; it could be a form of Schizo Tech where genetics and cybernetics stagnated while other scientific fields advanced, it might be considered unethical or be illegal, there may be an unforeseen cost to the individual, or there could be strong taboos in place due to past problems with this sort of thing. Instances of replacing lost body parts with equivalent or improved versions are not really an aversion, as the people of the society still do not seek out these enhancements (and especially so if the replacements aren't even more effective than the originals). A very specific form of Misapplied Phlebotinum. The most common aversion of this trope is the Super Soldier.Some settings literally do not allow transhumanism. That is to say, transhumanism is acknowledged as a real technological possibility by characters in the setting, but is explicitly forbidden by laws or customs. Taken too far, this can form the Back Story of a Feudal Future.Compare with Schizo Tech, Zeerust, Fantastic Racism, Ludd Was Right, We Can Rebuild Him, Emergency Transformation, Unwilling Roboticisation, Body Horror, Beware the Superman, Cybernetics Eat Your Soul, and Transhuman Treachery.Contrast with The Singularity and Transhuman (which, given the existence of the previous two tropes, stop listing aversions in this one unless it is somehow notable, like if part of the work averts it, while other parts play it straight).

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But the Abh seem to avoid further experimentation themselves, and the non-Abh humans seem to have mostly deliberately avoided taking advantage of the longevity genehacks. There's been just enough transhumanism to provide space elves, and no more.

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In the CoDominium universe, genetic engineering is a crap shoot the Saurons are superhuman, but also overspecialized and much less adaptable. Apparently, the other cultures in CoDo space decided to keep their options open rather than risk brainlocking themselves racially.

On the other hand, once the ARM stranglehold is broken after Hyperspace technology is bought, most flatlanders have near-immortality thanks to Boosterspice, "modern" geriatrics, cheap widely-available access to nearly any kind of healthcare needed (Autodocs are so common they're used for everything from surgery to hangover cures to haircuts), and prosthesis so similar to the original that they put organ transplants out of business. Humans not on Earth have less access simply because no other human world is quite as developed, but still can live for a long time. And after the Puppeteers diddle the Birthright Lotteries a bit too hard, we get the only genetic advantage we'll ever need: all-pervasive luck. Turns out it's inheritable, and yes, it spread like a wildfire.

It is interesting to note that the transhuman intelligences bear the rest of humanity no ill-will, or even any passing interest: "normal" intelligences simply cannot provide any threat or anything of interest and are more or less entirely beneath their notice. One interesting ability one weakly godlike intelligence gains is the ability to create a perfect software model of a human intelligence and run it though a "Turing oracle" to exhaustively calculate every possible response the human might have in a situation. It would be literally impossible to out-think such a being without upgrading your own intelligence, and it would already know that you'd try to do that.

Another Stross book, Glass House does not have any strongly superhuman minds presented in the story but implies that they could exist. The protagonist decides that worrying about superhuman intelligences is futile, because if any were involved there would be simply no hope of defeating their plans.

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Human evolution is shown to progress to the state of Vorlon-like Energy Beings in "The Deconstruction of Falling Stars", millions of years in the future. We got a brief preview of that in the first-season episode "Mind War", which involved experimentation on telepaths. And Telepaths themselves are eventually revealed to be the result of alien biotech.

Agent Bester expresses an interest in Lyta's body (after she's died and finished using it, with her consent... unusually reasonable, really) after being Touched by Vorlons made her an extraordinarily powerful telepath. He points out that understanding what happened to her would allow all telepaths to improve themselves in ways unconstrained by their current biology. Whether this actually worked out was never revealed, though it is notable that the result of one experiment to increase the power of a telepath created a godlike energy being who promptly left the galaxy in search of something he could relate to.

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"Tau Ceti flowering: Horrors visited upon neighboring systems must never be repeated. Therefore: if it means the end of our evolution as a species, so be it." Caretaker Lular H'minee, "Sacrifice : Life"

"Risks of Flowering: considerable. But rewards of godhood: who can measure?" Usurper Judaa Marr, "Courage : To Question"

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No Transhumanism Allowed - TV Tropes

Author, Psychotherapist, Workshop Leader, Pianist

The message that runs through all of Charlottes books and workshops is that of empowermentto find your authentic voice, trust your internal wisdom, open yourself to new learning and understand yourself and others within a cultural context. Her 16-step Empowerment Model introduced in Many Roads, One Journey: Moving Beyond the Twelve Steps, offers a holistic, wellness approach for overcoming addiction, trauma and depression. It has been adopted throughout the Unites States and Canada.

Charlotte engages people in her books and workshops by intertwining psychology, feminism, sociology, Buddhism, Quaker teachings and other spiritual traditions. She is able to make complex ideas clear and easy to grasp. She presents material in a warm, compassionate, often humorous manner, involving the participants and making the materials at once personally accessible and applicable to everyday situations. Her books have been translated into 24 languages and have approximately 800,000 copies in print.

I wear the hat of psychotherapist, author, and teacher, but at my core, I am a peace and social justice activist. I believe the starting place for healing the planet is in our hearts and in the ways we practice respect, empathy, and understanding in all human relationships, including our relationship to ourselves. Ultimately our personal growth and empowerment are expressed through helping restore justice, peace and balance on the planet and coming to the deep awareness that we are one earth, one people.

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Charlotte Kasl

Link yourself to heaven and earth; stand in the very center with your heart receptive tothe resounding mountain echo.

- Morihei Ueshiba / John Stevens The Essence of Aikido

A Spiritual Warrior is someone who moves forward in their spiritual evolution and Expansion, even in the face of very difficult choices. They do what they must to follow the path of spiritual advancement, no matter how hard it may be. The Spiritual Warrior lives from a place of non-attachment and will change everything in their life if need be in the pursuit of spiritual Expansion. I have found that once you seriously begin seeking the spiritual path, you will eventually be faced with the decision of graduating from a Spiritual Seeker to that of a Spiritual Warrior. It is only by passing through these stages that you can become a Spiritual Master. The Spiritual Seeker is one who is just starting or dabbling in spiritual or religious teachings. They read and attend seminars and workshops, practice many different systems and techniques and begin to make some real progress. Sooner or later though they will be faced with the decision to remain a Seeker without making any further discernible advancement, or to become a Spiritual Warrior, understanding what it is to rely on their own Divine nature for what they need. The professional Spiritual Seeker continues through life experimenting in this and that, going from one New Age fad to the next, lost in the fog in fear of truly discovering their Divine nature and personal power. They continue to rely on others to make their decisions for them and are easily thrown at the first hint of distress or improvement.

The Spiritual Warrior, on the other hand, forges ahead into the great mist of the unknown, doing what must be done in order to keep making progress. For the Spiritual Warrior, there is no stopping or stalling out, because they know that to stop or stall means to go backwards in their evolution. This is seen as simply unacceptable. They begin to gather all the techniques of value, the ones that really serve them, learning to rely on a base system that serves their greater progress. More than likely they are open to drawing from numerous systems of spirituality and religion as they grow enough to realize for themselves what is true and honestly helping them. Great respect for the truth of all systems is recognized and reflected in their personal practice. These are the people that shine brightly and gravitate toward tranquility and serenity instead of drama and egotism. The Spiritual Warrior develops the personal strength to take full responsibility for all their choices and actions, and applies their skills in ways that allow others around them to feel safe. The Spiritual Warrior diligently practices for their own advancement, as well as to protect others and offer help and healing to those who really need it.

While it is not necessary to be a martial artist or to even care about swords, the lessons from these practices can be applied by and be of great assistance to everyone. One translation of the Japanese term known as Bujin is Divine Warrior. This is seen in the martial arts organization of the Bujinkan, headed by Grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi. This type of warrior never tires in their pursuit to create a clear connection to their Divine nature, their Higher Self, and their sense of oneness with the Universal Source. The symbol often used by these warriors and the ninja shadow warriors of Japan is the kanji or ideogram for Nin, which is loosely translated to mean patience, perseverance, or to endure. This Japanese character consists of two individual characters placed one on top of the other. The upper character is the kanji for blade, or more specifically, the sharp edge of the sword. The lower kanji means heart. Jointly, this refers to a sword being held over your heart.

One way to look at this is that together it refers to remaining strong and true to your heart when someone attempts to keep you from your path, even with a sword. To remain true to your heart is to remain true to your spirit. While there are a great number of interpretations of this, I have come to know it as the ability to keep a pure, sincere heart, even in the face of adversity; to remain true to what you hold in your heart, the seat of the original spirit, even under the threat of death. Here lies the paradox of needing the heart to be both immovable and free at the same time. Furthermore, I feel this speaks of the resolute strength that is required of the heart in the journey to spiritual growth and Expansion. Through my own training in martial arts and various spiritual systems, I personally hold the meaning to be found in the methods of muto dori (no-sword capture to evade, counter and capture the sword of an attacker when you are unarmed). When practicing the methods of being unarmed while another person attacks you with the sword, the challenge is to be able to evade the sword cut, neutralize the threat, and maintain a constantly open heart center filled with joy and love while you do so.

As you may well imagine, this is a monumental task, as the heart center typically closes upon threat of danger. In many esoteric systems the heart is referred to as a flower. Just as there are flowers which close in the darkness of the night, only to reopen again in the morning light, so too does the heart center react. Through spiritual training and growth it becomes possible for the heart to stay open even in the darkness, shining its light upon the world. To have the heart center remain open under potentially dangerous circumstances necessitates a supremely pure and unshakable heart. This is teaching the warrior to have the ability to move freely without tension, to receive without resistance, to evade without anger or the need for revenge. It is keeping the Divine connection at all times, no matter the circumstance, and living from your heart center without allowing it to be affected by negativity. Would you be able to remain light-hearted as you stared death in the eye? Could you smile a sincere smile even as someone was attempting to harm you? Would you be able to remain compassionate even though someone else meant to do you harm? I have come to know that the heart must come first. Even for the warrior, the heart is the most precious of gifts and developing the heart center is more important than developing the weapons skills. The warrior must establish inner balance by having solid spiritual practices in place alongside their fighting skills.

The methods of muto dori (no-sword capture) are said to be extremely high-level techniques. It doesnt take much to comprehend this, as truly having the skill to live through a real sword attack by a highly trained sword master seems to be the stuff of fantasy. It was, however, a real skill that was utilized by ancient warriors. I experienced the essence of having the blade over my heart both literally and figuratively by needing to go under the blade for emergency open heart surgery. A bit ironic isnt it? During my period of recovery, after my brain began to reconnect to my body and my nervous system adjusted, I drafted a letter to Grandmaster Hatsumi. I shared a couple of things with him from that experience that I have never shared with another living soul. I thanked him from the bottom of my heart for giving me the skills I needed to survive that experience. He responded by sending me a hand drawn picture of Kurikara, the sword of the esoteric Buddhist deity Fudo Myo-O (the Immovable Light King) along with a blessing of good health. It is now one of the great treasures in my collection of Divine artwork. This is the meaning of a spiritual or Divine Warrior. This is how I have come to know it through my own life experiences.

I didnt realize it at the time, but that experience was just preparing me for what I had to do next as a Spiritual Warrior. During my recovery, my perspective on life began to go through a major shift. It was here that I heard the voice of my Higher Self and the need to evolve spiritually to all new levels. It was clear to me that this calling was to take place now or never. Such a thing would require a complete alteration of my life; everything would have to change in order for me to experience the spiritual transformation that I needed. I recognized that this calling, this need to become the person I might be, was a direct result of the planetary evolutionary shift that is happening. After a few years of inner and outer turmoil I made the conscious decision to move forward, to answer the call of my Higher Self and to expand into who I might become. I know better than most that change is difficult, but I also know that it is the path for growth and the rewards are well worth the effort. Making serious changes in your life also requires the strength and resolve of a warrior.

Another aspect of the Spiritual Warrior is reflected in the twenty-second chapter of the Tao Te Ching written by Lao Tzu and is also reflected in the King James Version of the Bible. This idea is phrased well in the Bible (Matthew 5:5) and contains the most widely known expression, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. While there are many ways to interpret this statement, I would like to share my understanding of it. The meek are those on the spiritual path who have overcome their ego. Meek does not mean to be weak as many interpret it, but instead it actually refers to having spiritual strength, with the ability to live ones life in authenticity from the heart center.

As the Spiritual Warrior rises ever higher in energetic vibration, reaching upward toward that of the Divine, those around him with low vibration will be threatened by his very presence. Feelings of insecurity from their false beliefs and anger from being shown their shortcomings will consume their hearts, closing the hidden door even further. They are trapped in a vicious cycle where their lower vibrations cause negative emotions, and those negative emotions perpetuate the lowering of vibrations even further. In the mirror of the Spiritual Warriors heart, her bliss reflects their unhappiness, her love reflects their fears, her gratitude reflects their intolerance, and her divine truths reflect their ignorance. It is through the distaste of their own reflected image that they must decide to accept change and embrace growth, to allow their vibrations to rise and their hearts to open fully and completely, to be filled with true freedom, love, bliss and appreciation. After all, this is how the Spiritual Warrior began his quest too. This is the love and service of the Spiritual Warrior.

Develop The Strength Of The Warrior, The Compassion of a Healer and The Spiritual Wisdom of The SageThe Warrior, the Healer and the Sagethese are the three facets of a human being who has become complete. Most people fragment themselves to focus all their intention purely on one area of life. The truth is that human beings, men and women alike, are made to be all three at the same time. The development of all three areas of Being is a sign of a complete, open and honestly shared system, whether it be martial arts, a healing system, or a religious or spiritual system. The ancient fighting systems contained healing techniques, as well as spiritual teachings to help balance the warrior. Over time, these things were splintered; today people believe they are getting a complete system if they learn just one of these areas. The unfortunate truth is that they are not.

The healer learned their methods could be used to harm someone if the need was to arise; they referred to this as reverse medicine. Healing was directly linked to the Divine, so these ancient healers were generally spiritual in nature and had spiritual practices intertwined with their healing practices. Some spiritual practitioners, such as monks and priests, remained as purists and refused to fight as they knew it could lower their vibration to do so, but they usually had healing skills. These healing skills manifested as a by-product of many of the spiritual practices; examples of such things can be found in the monastic circle walking methods of many religions. The same circle walking methods can be found in certain schools of Pakua Chang, a Chinese martial art. Other monks were fierce warriors when need be, utilizing their fighting skills to protect the ancient teachings and the temples that housed them. Finding a balance in all three aspects of Healer, Warrior and Spiritual Sage allows you to live through the trinity and see the world through the three-fold lens. It also develops and gives free reign to your potential and power as a fully actualized human being.

In order to succeed on your spiritual journey, you will need the heart and spirit of a warrior. This will enable you to keep forging forward, even when life challenges your very core beliefs. As soon as you think you understand whats going on and what to believe, you may be forced to change those beliefs once again. Thats just how it works. In order to help you I will present tactics and techniques for transforming yourself into a Spiritual Warrior. Not as someone who goes out and fights to prove their way is the one right way, but to transform you into someone who simply does not know how to give up or quit. You will be powerful enough to keep moving forward and overcome any walls that rise in your way. Remember you will need to hold the compassion of a healer in order to be easy on yourself, evade frustration and allow your Self to heal. You will also learn to hold compassion in your heart for others around you. Once you let go of such judgments, your vibration will rise, as compassion is a product of the emotion of love. Throughout the process, you will be gradually unfolding the spiritual wisdom of the great sages within your Self. You will begin to understand the depth of the words of the worlds great spiritual masters throughout the ages. You will come to feel the truth of their teachings and embody them within yourself.

Overcoming the Symptoms of ChangeEarlier I spoke of the symptoms people are experiencing in this time of great change and transition. These symptoms are signs that things are changing. All of these symptoms are present to tell you changes are required in yourself and your life in order to effectively pass through this shift. Physical tension and resistance, negative emotions and internal energy blockages are just some of the afflictions that will make passing through this shift a very challenging experience. After my surgery I felt depressed and unsettled; I couldnt shake the feeling that the life I was living was not meant for me. Through the ability to hear the guidance of my inner voice or Higher Self, I came to know I needed to change. Id developed several poor behaviors requiring reversal if I were to make this transformational shift into a spiritually-based life. It is difficult on family and friends when they cannot possibly fathom the depth of what is happening, but I summoned my Warrior Spirit and did what I had to do. I hope after all the smoke clears and the dust settles, these people will be able to let go of undeserved blame and accept the truth of what has happened. This was necessary for me to become a better person and evolve as someone walking the path of personal transformation, in order to serve as a messenger to others in the world at this time when messengers are needed.

Many people are experiencing different varieties of symptoms at this very moment. The types of stress on the physical body are similar to the stresses on the mind from the amount of common computer usage. I will share some of the symptoms that I have encountered over the years with myself and others. You may argue these are things people commonly experience; however, there is a noticeable increase in their occurrence and they are happening for no detectible reason. I do recommend consulting your health care professional should you experience any of these effects. Do not merely dismiss them as energy symptoms that will subside in time; some of these things do, but others may manifest into or already be something much more tangible and potentially harmful. This is not medical advice or a diagnosis of any sort, but is offered as a way to understand what could be happening if any of these things are unusual for you. Ive often heard the phrase, The tests came back normal, we dont know whats causing this, when Ive pursued medical care in the doctors office. The exercises in this system will help you to alleviate these types of symptoms, assuming they are energy related. You need energy practices to counteract the effects of energy-based symptoms.

Human Health Symptoms of Impending Change: Physical Symptoms Increase in headaches, migraines, brain tumors, brain cancer Increase in body aches, fatigue, and feelings of being drained of energy Fibromyalgia Increase in vertigo Increase in sinus pain and pressure in the face and head Seizures or seizure-like activity Dizziness, sudden disturbances in equilibrium, passing out Pressure and pain in the joints; joints crack and pop excessively Difficulty moving quickly; walking is slow and labored Restless, irritating feelings in the extremities

MENTAL SYMPTOMS: Difficulty with mental focus and clarity Difficulty with memory Difficulty making choices and decisions Notable increase in mental illness and functioning mental illnesses Notable increase in violence for no apparent reason, followed by aimless wandering

EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS: Increase in depression and depression-related illnesses Increase in emotional breakdowns, meltdowns and other emotional instability Feelings of needing to find your lifes purpose and live it Feelings of being easily overwhelmed, having too many choices Feelings of general uneasiness, uncertainty, being lost, empty, disconnected and unfulfilled Feelings of needing more from life

Planetary Symptoms of Impending Change Instability and unpredictability of the Earths electromagnetic field patterns and strength The feeling of familiar environments changing; things just dont feel the same Extreme weather pattern changes, global warming Fish, sea stars, abalone, birds and insects dying in large numbers for unexplained reasons The sky being washed out instead of bright blue in certain areas and times The loss of vibrancy of color in trees and plant life in certain areas The various alignments of planets, magnetic poles shifting, and other galactic events

Myths, Legends and Half-TruthsIn this section I will present you with certain myths that are floating around disguised as the truth. I intend to expose some of these myths to illustrate the new reality, preventing the deception that is so commonly accepted as truth in our world. Most of these myths or half-truths are perpetuated by the media; after being placed in front of the eyes and ears of the general public long enough, they become accepted as truth. This does not make them true; it merely creates and spreads false beliefs. After stepping outside the box of the accepted norm and separating myself from the herd mentality, I was able to see how these types of memes are spread and the danger they pose to everyone. A meme, in case you are not yet familiar with the term, is basically a thought, belief, or behavior that is spread throughout a culture from person to person. A meme can travel through thought, belief, gossip, media, social media, and other forms of human interaction. The awakened individual is able to think more clearly for themselves and not follow the mass control and cultural beliefs of the herd.

MYTH #1 You Have To Have A Near-Death Experience In Order To AwakenNo, of course you dont. Experiencing a near-death trauma is absolutely unnecessary to achieve substantial spiritual growth. Spiritual Expansion is about the celebration of life! While undergoing a near-death or severely traumatic experience may act as a catalyst in the awakening process, it is not needed or recommended. The challenges provided in the Expansion Mastery System will, when performed correctly and consistently, guide you through the process of rapid spiritual growth. Many of these exercises are designed to serve as a metaphorical death experience as well as a resurrection. Most spiritual systems have this concept in place in some safely guided form of symbolic practice. The simple nightly act of falling asleep is meant to serve this same idea.

The ancient Egyptians were very spiritually advanced, knowing how to take a person through a process that mimicked death in order for them to better and more fully appreciate life. The Egyptians had a set of rites they were taken through that were designed to allow them the experience of death and resurrection. The functions of such rituals were to open the persons heart and ignite their passion for life. It is of interest to point out, that within the pyramids there are three chambers that are aligned in the very centerline of the pyramid. The middle chamber is the one that resonates with the heart center when you chant the syllable Ah.

I have been taught that martial artists are supposed to experience a similar effect every time they get thrown to the ground, only to rise again and continue training (living). I set up a particular event for my martial arts students in a way where they had the opportunity to experience this and then apply that feeling to their daily practice. There seems to be something in our being that changes when we go through a truly life-threatening experience. Its much deeper than the simple recognition of our own mortality. Something shifts in the core of our being; a sort of mental-emotional, vibrational shift that allows us to see things differently, as if an encounter with death allows us to more vibrantly appreciate life and find our lifes purpose.

MYTH #2 In Relationships, Opposites AttractYes they do, in magnetic poles and in a larger sense to human beings. The Law of Polarity is a universal truth, applying to the grander scheme of the relationship concept as far as the attraction of male and female, or two different human beings. However, when we drill down into the actual details of a relationship, we see the Law of Attraction applies more readily. The concept of a harmonious relationship is then accomplished through the Law of Attraction, or like attracts like. The old world reality of Opposites Attract is simply no longer valid. Working hard at a relationship, engaging in arguments and speaking to one another in harsh, aggravated tones, putting up with the other person; none of these things have a place in a truly healthy, happy, and harmonious relationship. This may have been okay in relationships of the old paradigm, but it certainly does not apply any more. We are learning more and more how the concept of like attracts like is the way to best achieve the ability to manifest, as well as to create healthy, long-lasting relationships.

MYTH #3 It Takes Lifetimes of Meditation to Achieve This Type of ChangeWhile meditation is extremely valuable and serves a great purpose, there have been very few people whove attained enlightenment by sitting on their butt. The ancient Chinese knew this, which is why they applied circle walking and other moving meditational techniques. For the diligent practitioner, success will come in this lifetime if you are consistent in your efforts and have a great practice. I have found that sometimes this idea of impossibility is placed in front of a practitioner to help them let go of impatience. If you think that it cannot be attained, then you will not be impatient about achieving results. However, if you believe that it will not happen in this lifetime, chances are it wont.

MYTH #4 You Are Supposed to Stay Close to Family and Spouses, Even if They Are ToxicThis is completely unreasonable and untrue. Blood is thicker than water, right? Not when it is toxic. Remaining in a toxic family environment or toxic relationship is never good; it drastically lowers your vibration. There is no law saying you have to remain with relatives who treat you disrespectfully or behave badly. There is no good reason to remain in an environment where you are subjected to mental, emotional or physical abuse, nor should you remain in a relationship where you are kept from growing spiritually. While it is always a sad situation, separating yourself from toxic relatives or spouses is often the right move to make. Every single person has the right to be happy and to advance spiritually.

When separating yourself from someone, I have learned to always leave the door open for them in case they become willing to change their toxic behaviors and begin treating you with respect. At this point I do everything I can to welcome them back with open arms. In most cases, this will allow both of you to expand in the ways that each of you needs but cannot accomplish when your energies are closely linked. There is a saying that time heals all wounds, but I believe it should be stated that time and space heal all wounds. Allowing some space opens the gateway to the potential of the energy field all around us.

MYTH #5 You Should Think With Your Head and Not With Your HeartThis is true to the extent that you should do your thinking with your head. Leave the heart to do the feeling. The mistake made here is believing the brain in the head is the only source of intelligence in the body. Science has proven this to be untrue. Every one of the trillions of cells in our body has intelligence. The heart is considered to be a very intelligent organ and is also the seat for our sense of feeling. Your original spirit is connected to this center and listening to your heart is actually great advice. The key is to know when to use each of these. I hear some people claim that following your heart and emotions will get you into trouble; this is true only when you have no conscious connection to them and they are controlling you.

I cannot stress enough how significant it is to live from your heart center. It is essential to develop your sensitivity to the subtle energies around you. In the same way, you can feel if you should trust someone or if a certain place just feels bad to you; you should hone this ability to guide you. It is far more accurate than your intellectual reasoning. Making decisions based upon how you feel instead of what you think is the true approach of the human being. This sensitivity is designed to keep us safe and guide us to our lifes purpose. Always thinking without feeling will push you away from your purpose, back into the mentality of the herd.

Spiritual Speed Bumps: Obstacles Along the Path of The Spiritual WarriorYou will most likely discover the need to become a Spiritual Warrior as you walk the path of your own truth. This does not mean that you will have to practice martial arts or become a soldier, but it does imply that you will need to be resilient and stay true to yourself. All too often people around you will not be comfortable with you making advancements in your spiritual quest. This is not always a malicious objective, but simply due to fearing you might change and they might not have you in their life in the exact same capacity that you have been up until this point. Be as gentle as you can with the people in your life, but do not allow them to halt you on your journey. You must be strong enough and focused enough to keep going.

I have helped guide thousands of martial and meditative students around common mistakes that can result in lengthy delays and plateaus for long periods of time. It is common for the person doing their best to raise their vibration and become a unified being to not initially notice the effects it has on those around them. As you go through this process of self-actualization and unification, your vibrational frequency will begin to rise. This will not go unnoticed by those in your life, and you should expect two very different types of feedback. Eventually, you can expect random statements from friends and family members that you have changed, and hopefully they state that its for the better. They may praise you for the transformations they notice and may even encourage you to keep doing what you are doing, even though they dont understand exactly what you are going through.

It is a wonderful situation when you have a spouse or special person in your life who desires to expand with you. It must be noted though that if you do not have a similar spiritual foundation and your partner does not desire to grow at the same time, they cannot be coerced or forced to do so. You cannot force another to grow, they have to want it in their heart and desire it for themselves; and indeed they may not be ready for it. The person resisting growth will usually become angry and seek blame as the life theyve become comfortable with crumbles around them. While this is a difficult period for both people, it is important to stay true to yourself and keep going. Hopefully, such a scenario plays out to allow the other person to experience necessary life lessons to spark their Expansion while freeing you to experience your own. The common mistake is reconciliation out of guilt, pity, or to take the path of least resistance. Going back to that spouse or significant other will instantly halt your progress and ultimately result in an unhappy home life for you both. Once you acknowledge and commit to your call to expand, it is devastating to stop the process, and it is impossible to move forward with someone constantly pulling you back.

This same situation applies to family members. They may also give you positive feedback and support. If they have higher vibrations themselves, they will be thrilled for you and more than eager to support you. If you lack spiritually evolved siblings, parents, or children then you may run into a difficult situation. They may react out of fear as the family dynamic changes, feeling they are losing control over you and the family model they have created. This can cause siblings to exert their control and influence over you in an attempt to put you in your place. It may result in parents increasing their dominance, and when they realize they cant control you, they back away altogether to avoid dealing with it. The mistake here is the same. Giving in to the demands of your family members will stop your growth in its tracks. You need the freedom to walk your own path, and you know what is best for you better than anyone. Do not give in to the pressures that family members may place on you, but make sure they know you love them, keep them in your heart and always leave the door open for the future.

Be aware of distraction that may cross your path. The information age has presented people with a wide array of mindless distractions as a way to ease mental fatigue. These distractions, such as surfing the web, will prevent you from being as productive as you can be. Television and other forms of perceived relaxation will also serve as distractions, as does talking on your cell phone constantly or playing video games for hours on end. Beware of things that suck the life out of your productivity.

You will most likely find yourself going against the grain of the accepted social convention. This should not be a surprise when you look at the mentality of the herd. Are they spiritual expanding? Of course not, they are caught up in the mindless drama that keeps them from making any progress or even noticing what is happening around them. To me, it is reminiscent of the blinders they put on horses. Once you step outside the circus of mass control, you may initially find life to be a bit lonely. It is important to keep on your path and eventually you will attract other like-minded people to you that will encourage mutual support. Breaking free from social convention is quite an eye-opening experience; it can be a bit frightening at first, but soon you will be amazed how the world looks when you can see clearly and distinguish truths for yourself.

Fluid Beliefs, Fluid Nervous System, Fluid Mind, Fluid BreathThe higher levels of achievement in martial and spiritual arts include a sense of what the Japanese call nagare (flow). This sense of fluidity is extremely important and a quality held dear by masters and grandmasters. The ability for one to achieve a sense of continuous, relaxed flow in their physical movement is a desired level of accomplishment. To do this one also needs to develop kinesthetic awareness. To move your body this way is to flow with the energy currents that move the wind and water. The sharp, jerky style movement of most hard-style martial arts is a direct contrast to this concept. Tai Chi, Pakua Chang, Aikijujutsu and Budo Taijutsu are examples of martial arts that use this form of flowing movement. Some forms of dance and ice skating also rely on this fluid motion to display their grace and beauty.

Here I will be addressing the fluidity that you cant see, unless it is reflected in someones physical movement. I am going to address the fluidity of the mind, nervous system, breath and beliefs. Developing a fluid mind is crucial to your spiritual advancement. This mindset allows the mind to move freely about while retaining a sense of focus. Your mind does not focus so intently on one thing that you because oblivious of everything else in your immediate environment. The fluid mind allows you to move seamlessly from one position to another or one movement to another without pausing. It allows your mind to stay in a greater state of Expansion and respond to multiple points of attention instead of just one singular point. You are also able to clear and still the mind more quickly in order to hear the voice of the Divine. Achieving a level of fluidity in the mind allows you to mentally adapt to situations more quickly and easily as they unfold. This is extremely beneficial for martial, healing and spiritual applications.

The concept of a fluid nervous system is quite an in-depth topic. The fluid nervous system allows you to physically move without the tension that would result in hesitation or stuttering within your movement. A fluid nervous system permits you to physicaly flow with a relaxed sense of grace from one position to another. Today, it is common for people to suffer from a completely shorted-out nervous system. With all the over-stimulation, information and computer work, its no wonder that people are overly tense and easily overwhelmed. Moving with this sense of freedom is very difficult to attain, as there are only a handful of techniques that I am aware of which actually work to release the buildup of tension in ones nervous system. It is easy to tell when someone is suffering from an over-stimulated nervous system by checking the eyes. The eyes are said to be a gateway to the soul, but they also serve as a gateway into the nervous system. You can observe the tension through the hardness of the eyes or if they have become wide and protruding.

The breath serves as an activator for the nerves, so developing methods for breathing fluidly serves to assist the nervous system in becoming and remaining fluid. The first step in creating fluid breath is to avoid holding your breath. Try to notice when you experience any form of stress and observe your natural tendency to hold your breath. This is a good practice to learn to recognize when your breath is being held, to release it and breathe deeply to relax. The next step is to coordinate your breath with your body movement. Many top-rated professional speakers also learn to coordinate their breath with their speech patterns in order to flow and pause at the proper points in their dialogue. Learn to be able to move, jump, punch, and speak while coordinating your breath with those movements to act in a naturally synchronized manner. It is important to allow the body movements, the nervous system and the breath to work in conjunction with one another without needing to place conscious thought on the process. Once resistance is eliminated you will not only feel that you are moving more lightly and with purpose, but with a new level of grace, awareness and natural power.

I would really like to focus more on fluid beliefs. It is imperative for your beliefs to remain in a fluid state, open to alteration with new knowledge or experience, in order for you to grow and expand. Because your beliefs will be constantly challenged when you are involved in a true spiritual awakening, it is imperative to break persistent patterns of thought. Therefore, you cannot afford to have your beliefs be immovable; this will make certain you do not change, grow or expand. When a new experience or reliable knowledge renders your current belief obsolete, you must be able to adapt and flow with the new belief in order to make this transition less traumatic on the mind. Allow your beliefs to take form, yet not to become concrete and unchangeable. It is actually natural that your beliefs should change as you expand spiritually. There are so many things that we just do not understand, even through science. Fluid beliefs are important in both science and spirituality. By keeping your beliefs fluid you will find your mind can remain open, making your Expansion much easier. A closed mind results in contraction, as it keeps a person small and prohibits growth.

If a different perspective is offered and you become agitated or resistant, then your beliefs are not in a state of fluidity. You will immediately feel your nervous system, mind and breath become stressed. A belief is the result of a persons formed perception; their interpretation based on their current level of understanding. It only makes sense that a persons life experiences would bring about change in their beliefs as they continue to learn and grow. Beliefs should constantly require updating if you are learning new things. Just as the gentle river flows, bending and winding around the banks without interruption even when it encounters obstacles so too should your beliefs flow, with the same gentle, constant motion and ability to change freely.

In order to assist in keeping your thoughts fluid, it is imperative to keep a broader perspective and forming opinions based on your need to control and keep the ego feeling secure. It is more beneficial to realize that upon hearing something for the first time, you may only understand a small degree of the depth of the topic and you need to keep your mind open to new or additional information. The need to feel as though you know it all is nothing more than a cheap trick being played on the undisciplined mind by the ego. Beliefs can be very challenging to change once you form them. Be mindful of this.

There is a concept within the ancient martial and spiritual traditions, including Zen Buddhism, called shoshin (beginners mind). Tracing this concept back we see that it had the original meaning of heart-mind. In Taoist practice, the heart is considered to be the seat of the spirit as well as the cognitive mind. The character for Xin (in Chinese) or Shin (in Japanese) literally means, heart-mind. This mindset teaches us to hold on to the desire to learn new things, to retain that insatiable thirst for knowledge that one has when they just begin something new and exciting. To keep this open frame of mind will help you to remain capable of growing and learning new things, even once you have become very accomplished. All too often in these traditions, shoshin is viewed as a beginners level concept. This is definitely not true; shoshin requires self-observation and a constant mindfulness of ones mental and emotional state. This aids in keeping the ego at bay and allows the practitioner to enjoy even those methods they have performed tens of thousands of times through keeping a fresh perspective on the exercise. It also serves to continue an excitement for learning so that you do not lose the enthusiasm you had when you first stepped foot on the path.

The beginners heart-mind is very helpful in creating a fluid mind and fluid beliefs, because you do your best to make no assumptions that you already know all the layers to everything. One popular statement that I hear thrown about is Been there, done that. This is an example of the opposite of shoshin. The mind that has been there and done that is closed and unable to grow, forever locked in its shallow understanding. In martial arts, the use of shoshin allows the warrior to move naturally and respond instead of reacting. It is this state of mind that promotes extended daily practice without the ego arising to either stop your progress or take credit for what has not yet been accomplished.

I learned through more than three decades of martial arts training that your level of understanding and sense of knowing will change dramatically from year to year, especially in the beginning. Look at how many things we have been taught to believe, only to find out later that they are incorrect. Everything that was believed to have been scientifically tested seems to change with time. As technology improves, we learn that the limitations of the previous technology did not allow us to make the valid discoveries that we thought it did.

I find it fascinating how various organizations from corporations to churchesattempt to influence and control our interpretations, perceptions and beliefs in order to control the sheeple herds. I am using the term sheeple here as a humorous yet accurate way to describe the masses who, out of fear and lack of knowing who and what to trust, mindlessly follow the trends, fads and whatever they are told to think or feel, without taking responsibility for themselves. Of course not everyone is being underhanded; our families, friends, teachers and others are simply sharing the best knowledge they have with what their perceptions and beliefs have to offer. In this manner, even though what they may have offered was not fact, it was well meaning and not at all maliciously deceptive. It is crucial to understand the difference. This is why it is extremely important for human beings to once again learn how to think, and more importantly, feel for themselves, stepping outside of such blatant misinformation.

No MindI would like to present a brief look at the concept of mushin (no-mind), which has been addressed earlier in this book. No-mind is a different state than beginners heart-mind. No-mind is usually understood as bringing the mind to a point where the thoughts become still. It is a moment when the mind is not thinking, not allowing the uncontrolled random thoughts generated by the ego to run rampant. When there is stillness of the mind, when it is void of thought, the ego is quiet and the heart can begin to be heard. It is during the suspension of thought that the consciousness of the heart-mind is free to assume the leading role. This is a good basic understanding, but it has layers of deeper meaning and greater skill. It is at this basic level that one beings to experience moments of inner peace and tranquility. This can be a highly profound event in itself, as so many people are burdened with the constant chatter running wild in their mind.

Another level of no-mind is to understand that once you still the mind, it is then possible to hear the Divine voice of your Higher Self, or of Universal Source. Martial artists may see it as a challenge to still move from this mindset, but when you drop the consciousness down into the lower abdomen, it happens as if on auto-pilot. Most spiritual practitioners do not have to address the issue of moving while in this state because they are most likely seated in their practice. Once the continuous, uncontrolled thought patterns are slowed down and brought to a still point, the loud voice of the ego becomes barely audible and the voice of the Divine can be heard. This level is all about communication with your Higher Self.

I want to share another, even deeper level that I have attained with this concept. When you clear your mind, still your thoughts and move with a more divinely inspired flow, you may find yourself aware of an entirely different plane of consciousness. I have experienced this several times with various masters, and it has allowed me to receive teachings that others do not normally receive, as well as special privileges. I have encountered this type of no-mind dimension while training in Japan with Grandmaster Machida, the result of which was to be the first recipient of an award regarding this skill. I also encountered it in China while practicing push-hands with Grandmaster Zhong Yun Long. Grandmaster Hatsumi is most often within this realm while he is demonstrating his incredible movement. Its difficult to put into words, but it is like moving in two dimensions at once. Its as if your physical self is moving in the time and space reality, and your consciousness and energy body is in another reality. It is here that you have the ability to fully understand someone elses intentions without the hindrance of language barriers or miscommunication. One way to know if this experience is real for you is that it happens to both people; it cannot be claimed by one person while the other is unaware of what just happened.

The level we are discussing allows for a teaching method that is referred to as jikiden (direct transmission). Grandmaster Machida refers to me as his jikideshi or direct transmission disciple. This application of direct transmission takes place from heart to heart, mind to mind, and consciousness to consciousness. Obviously, the student of the martial or spiritual arts must be open and receptive to this form of transmission in order for it to be effective. This level of teaching is rare to find, but it is the most effective form of transmission from one person to another.

Reprinted, with permission from Expansion Mastery by Robert D. Bessler, published by Morgan James Publishing, 2013

Photos pages 17 & 19 by Sandra Osbourne. Photos pages 22, 23 & 25 by Dahlia Gordon.

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The Spiritual Warrior : Abode of the Eternal Tao

Unless you change how you are, youll always have what youve got.

We generally change ourselves for one of two reasons: inspiration or desperation. Well, the late Jim Rohn aimed for the inspiration, always emphasizing the importance of taking responsibility for self-improvement and showing people how to reach for bigger, better lives.

Related:Rohn: Better Is Something You Become

Who inspired him? His mentor, Earl Shoaff, who told him this: If you want to be wealthy and happy, learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. And so began Jim Rohn's belief in the importance of self-improvement. In his classic book, 7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness, Jim Rohn wrote an essay entitled "The Miracle of Personal Development" in which he explains why working on yourself is a never-ending pursuit:

Ever since Mr. Shoaff woke me up with that statement, I worked hard on my own personal growth, and I must admit that this was the most challenging assignment of all. But understand, this business of personal development lasts a lifetime.

Related:Rohn: The 3 Parts of Personal Development

You see, what you become is far more important than what you get. The important question to ask on the job is not, What am I getting? Instead, you should ask, What am I becoming? Getting and becoming are so closely intertwinedwhat you become directly influences what you get. Think of it this way: Most of what you have today you have attracted by becoming the person you are right now.

I've also found that income rarely exceeds personal development. Sometimes income takes a lucky jump, but unless you learn to handle the responsibilities that come with it, it will usually shrink back to the amount you can handle. If someone hands you a million dollars, you'd better hurry up and become a millionaire. A very rich man once said, "If you took all the money in the world and divided it equally among everybody, it would soon be back in the same pockets it was before."

It is hard to keep that which has not been obtained through personal development. So here's the great axiom of life:

To have more than you've got, become more than you are.

This is where you should focus most of your attention. Otherwise, you just might have to contend with the axiom of not changing, which is:

Unless you change how you are, you'll always have what you've got.

Related:Rohn: 13 Ways to Improve Your Life

Excerpt from:
Why Personal Development Is Critical to Success | SUCCESS

Integrated personal development [edit]integrated personal development - a modern alternative to traditional training for individuals and organizational development

Modern personal development is more than skills training. It offers useful alternative methods compared to coaching and mentoring too. Effective modern personal development now involves various integrated techniques, theories and behavioural concepts, that extend options around traditional ideas. This article provides examples of modern methods of developing people - enabling real personal growth and change - for individuals and organizations.

Optimising individual performance through progressive personal development significantly improves business performance too.

This example of an integrated approach to personal development is based on the work of UK-based psychotherapist Pam Weight, whose contribution of this free article is gratefully acknowledged.

Pam Weight's modern approach to personal and professional development is born out of the study of these contemporary models, which are explained in more detail later in this article:

The personal development process enables individuals to achieve critical personal changes, specifically to:

(In this context, 'congruency' means behaving and feeling naturally and comfortably - ie, true to oneself.)

The integrated personal development approach is highly beneficial for most people.

It is however particularly effective for people who have experienced little or no benefit from conventional training, especially where progress is blocked by issues raised in the training process.

Integrated personal development is also particularly helpful where one-to-one coaching or mentoring has had limited benefit, or has prompted surprising reactions.

Equally, those who want to develop themselves in some way, but cannot identify a particular direction, will also benefit from this sort of modern integrated personal development.

Modern personal development differs from conventional training methods, most importantly:

These fundamentals are rarely found in traditional skills training or coaching. The principles underpin the process of effective personal development.

Modern personal development tends to achieve results because:

These factors are not commonly present in traditional skills training or one-to-one coaching, and as such provide a useful alternative if traditional methods have not been effective.

Many situations benefit from the improvements arising from effective personal development, for example:

Traditional training can of course produce good results in these areas, however, some people require more focus onpersonal issues, which can be difficult for some types of traditional training to address.

Human development includes the 'nature and nurture' elements that determine who we are and how we behave. Human development is a lifelong process beginning with 'nature'. Our 'nature' elements are everything we bring into this world: from our genetic make-up, our conception, up until our birth. After we are born, the 'nurture' process begins; namely every influence we encounter that affects us: our environmental influences and behavioural conditioning by others. We are each also subject to a slow continuous forming process; a sequence of stages through which we each pass in the same order, over a number of years.

Throughout these stages other developments occur: brain development; motor development; cognitive development; social development and development of self concept and basic trust. In addition, and importantly, our emotional development.

The influence of these human development factors on people, and their response to change, is considerable.

Humanistic theories focus on our inner capacity for growth and self-fulfillment; with the emphasis on human potential. The early theorists referred to humans as being 'set up' or 'pre-programmed' for growth and fulfillment, unless thwarted by an environment that restricts growth.

From a humanistic perspective, a positive self-concept is the key to personal happiness and success in life. Moreover,acceptanceandempathyhelp us to nurture positive feelings about ourselves, and that consequently we develop the capacity to extend and apply positive feelings to others. Overall, a humanistic perspective purports that people are basically good, and capable of self improvement.

(See alsoMcGregor's XY Theory, which includes aspects of humanistic thinking, and usefully positions them in the context of corporate organizations, management, motivational development, etc.)

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a model of human experience and communication. It has also been referred to as a study of subjective experience and human excellence. Importance is placed on rapport: mutual trust and responsiveness. Rapport can be applied to your relationship with yourself and your relationship with others.

NLP states that the greater the mental, physical and emotional rapport with yourself, the greater your health, well-being and inner peace. As a result, the greater your ability to relate to and influence others. Other pivotal aspects are:

See also the detailed free introductory guide toNeuro-Linguistic Programming.

Energy Psychology is the collective term for a range of approaches focusing on the interconnectedness of mind and body. A principle of Energy Psychology is that psychological and physical problems can be treated through the body's meridian system and other bodily systems. Some of the approaches have their roots in traditional Chinese medicine energy healing, such as acupuncture.

From an Energy Psychology perspective; if the energy or meridian system balance is upset and left unchecked, there will be a physical manifestation. If there is a disturbance in the system, there will be impairment in thinking, and physical health. Clear the disturbance, and the body can do what it is meant to do - repair and/or heal itself, creating harmony and balance.

By carefully integrating and applying the behavioural models explained above, Pam Weight has developed a truly progressive and effective system of personal development. The approach is in tune with the needs of people living and working in the modern age, and provides a useful alternative to traditional training, coaching and mentoring practices.

Effective personal development must value the person's individual journey; acknowledge the person's learning from experiences; offer the opportunity for the person to update their system; and free the individual to consider their current capabilities and how and where to apply them. Truly effective personal development must be tailored for the individual, and be flexible and realistic, producing real and sustainable results, the basis of which must always be improved balance, less stress and more control.

Pam Weight is a psychotherapist with special interest in health and wellness, based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

The contribution of this article by Pam Weight is gratefully acknowledged.

Pam Weight's website, including contact information and services details, is at:www.pamweight.com

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Personal Development - businessballs.com

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Personal development is such a nebulous topic. In reality every single book on this (now 200+ title) list is a great personal development book.

For the sake of this list, my choices for this section all revolve around books that are more about igniting passion and giving ideas rather than a step-by-step action plan. This list includes, the grandfathers of all self help books, and it also has some of the modern masters of inspiration, education and self-empowerment.

These books all DO have actionable steps to take, you will learn things, but I feel that their true purpose is as inspiration and motivation.

Any avid reader of self-help books will recognize Jack Canfield. Creator of the popular motivational Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Jack has been inspiring people for years. In Success Principles, Jack gives 65 methods for transforming your life. If you are looking for a single self-help book that gives you a ton of great ideas on how to improve your life and your success, this would be the one.

However, die-hard personal development fans may find some of these ideas to be rehashed versions of ideas they have heard before, not fresh new ideas. The principles are repeated here due to the simple fact that they work! Even if you know all 65 principles before buying the book, I believe it can be an excellent refresher on things you need to do to achieve the success you desire.

It could be very easy to think that a book about achieving success written 80 years ago and based on the success principles of men like Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford would be stale and out of date, like a dry history lesson. This simply is not true. While there are admittedly parts where you have to substitute modern methods of execution for old fashioned counterparts, the basic principles themselves are based on human nature and just as true today as they were 80 years ago.

This book is a classic and for good reason. Over the past 80 years many successful people have read this book and gained from it knowledge and insight that have helped them to achieve their own success. When a self-improvement book sticks around for as long as this one has, there has to be a reason for its longevity and success.

Most people who achieve any degree of success will tell you that attitude is a big part of the success equation. Positive thinking will not magically make success happen, as this books successor The Secret, would have you believe, but positive thinking can put you into position to make the most of it when it happens. So skip the Secret and go write to the first (and best) book on getting your mind right for success.

One slight negative is that many people complain because of some of the religious overtones of the book. While Dr. Peale is clearly a faithful Christian, I believe this book has merit for you regardless of personal faith. Just listen to the good advice.

Note: some of you may like The Secret. I mean no offense to you in this review. The positivity aspect of the book is fine, I simply have a problem with the idea that the universe will deliver success. I believe the only way you get success is to go out and work for it. Lets agree to disagree.

Outliers takes a scientific look at what it actually takes to achieve success. Unlike some of the other books on this list, it does not give a specific list of the things you need to do to achieve success. It looks at very interesting anecdotes that support the main point of the book, that success is not achieved by luck, attitude or even skill, but that the only real measurement is the time we put into our skills. People who achieve higher degrees of success almost always have more time building the skills they use for their success.

This book is quite interesting with some really good stories and anecdotes. It is an enjoyable read.

I am not by nature an organized person. Due to this fact I would say that reading GTD for the first time was a life changing experience. Allen gives solid advice on how to plan all the aspects of a hectic life (both business and personal).

This book comes with a solution to all the chaos life throws your way. It can help you stay organized and on top of everything. I do not currently follow all the tenants of GTD. I have incorporated a more web based approach as I discuss in my book on Evernote. But I still feel Getting Things Done is a must read, even if you discard his specific approaches, the core ideas will still shed light on many ways to be more productive.

Everyone thinks time is the enemy. I cant count how many times I have heard, I dont have time for that or I wish I had the time. The central idea of this book is that people have it backwards. Loehr and Schwartz state that energy is the key, not time.

Success is about creating a series of life-sprints not a marathon. By laser focusing on tasks, then completely resting, you actually can get a lot more done in less time and live a happier and more fulfilling life at the same time. This book makes some excellent points. The next time you hear yourself saying, I dont have time to do something important, you should reach for a copy of this book. Unless you dont have time for that then I cant help you.

Just like the previous entry, Think and Grow Rich Carnegies book is another classic from the 1930s that still packs a ton of truth bombs in its nearly 90 year old pages. While T&GR was about the principles of success, Carnegie discusses the personal habits that lead to success. Included are: the twelve ways to convert people to your way of thinking, six ways to make people like you, and the nine ways to change peoples opinions without arousing resentment.

Regardless of what you intend to do with your life, other people will always be there. Carnegie gives you the tools to effectively recruit others to your cause, rather than have them potentially be obstacles. A must read classic on dealing with other people.

I have to admit, I have a few mixed feeling on Tim Ferris in general. On one hand, lets face it, the guy is a bit of jerk. Additionally while there is some great information, it might not pertain much to people who just want more from their 9-5 lifestyle, and are not really into the idea of a digital lifestyle.

On the other hand, however, this book does an excellent job of challenging people to rethink the status quo and evaluate how to make the most of their time. Time does an great job of explaining how to make the most of the digital lifestyle, how to get started with this business and does it all with a fierce energy that will get you motivated.

If the idea of making a living online appeals, this book should be a must read, and is likely already on your bookshelf. If you are just looking for tidbits to develop your personal productivity, attitude or health, this might be a book you can miss.

Crush It! has a few problems these days. Mainly is that the core idea of the book, fresh and new when it was first released, has become a bit dated. Most people have come to understand the revolutionary power of Social Media and the effect this can have on any and every single business.

However, a good portion of this book is also about following your dreams and turning your passion in a career. While this book no longer imparts what I would call new information, it is still extremely motivational. Gary Vaynerchuk has an incredible amount of energy and reading what he has to say is sure to get you motivated to get out and conquer the world.

Let Go! is Pat Flynns inspiring story. If you do not know Pat, he is a normal guy, trained as an architect who began to work as an online entrepreneur when the architect business got rough. In this inspiring story Pat shares the challenges he faced and the keys to his success.

Much like Crush It the value of the specific lessons are of less value than the inspiration it can give you to achieve success. If you want specifics for achieving success through Pats methodology his podcasts and website are chocked full of actionable information.

Yes, thats me. I wont give any qualitative review of this book, since I am biased. But I do think it is a good one.

Habit stacking is based on a method to incorporate small habits into daily life. These small habits are easy individually, but are often the sort of things that fall through the cracks in a hectic life.

Habit stacking makes it possible when you add DOZENS of small changes to your daily routine. Rather than trying to make dozens of individual habits part of your routine (something next to impossible) you only have to work to incorporate each stack.

By doing these small tasks in a block you can plan for the time to act on these tasks in your daily schedule and stick firm to implementing these habits on a daily basis.

These habits dont require much effort. In fact, most of these habits ONLY take five minutes or less to complete. by doing these small tasks in a block you can plan for the time to act on these tasks in your daily schedule and stick firm to implementing these habits on a daily basis.

The climate of business and personal success is changing. The times when going to college, working a job for 40 years and retiring a success are evaporating before our eyes. Altucher shows a path to creating art, make money and achieve success through non-traditional methods.

Altuchers sense of humor and brutal honesty make this book a great read. He doesnt pull any punches even sharing many of his personal failures as well as successes.

Choose yourself. Choose this book.

This is another book I struggled with the decision of whether to place on this list. On one hand Robbins has always seemed to me to be as much of a salesman of change as he is someone with fresh ideas. However, there is no denying that this book covers some important ground while still being inspirational.

Robbins point with this book is to take charge of your life in all the important ways: emotional, physical, mental and financial. All of these important parts dovetail together and work with each other for you to achieve greater success. Only when you are at the peak of performance in all categories can you truly be your best self.

Have you ever felt on the top of your game? Answers and ideas flow freely. You feel energized and alert. You feel happy and content. You are in control. This is a state Dr. Csikszentmihaly refers to as flow

The flow state happens to everyone from time to time, but it can be engineered to happen more frequently and when it does the happiness, content and satisfaction it brings can have a lasting halo effect on our lives. Part science and part philosophy this book does an exceptional job of relating to us not only how to get more done, but how to live happier and fuller lives due to having an understanding of the Flow.

This book is great at what it is, a summary of all the current thinking in the realm of peak performance. While not groundbreaking, it digests hundreds of self-help and personal development books and relays the important pieces succinctly and clearly. A wonderful book that will save you time and money giving you the highlights of the best modern thinking on the subject of improving your personal performance in all aspects of life.

One of the keys to success in life is self-motivation. Most people will perform when they have to at work or at home. Self-motivation means going that extra mile and not needing the external commitments to get things done. When you can become self-motivated, achievement will follow as surely as the sun rises in the east.

But self-motivation is not something that is always as easy as it might sound. Deci showcases all the current science on the subject of motivation and explains the hows and whys in simple to understand terms. You likely have ideas of what motivates you already, but reading this book will give you a clean and clear understanding of your motivation.

Being an introvert I kept saying. Thats right and So True constantly while reading this book. Another book on this list, How to Win Friends and Influence People does a great job of showcasing the importance of being a people person and how this can lead to success. However, this advice introverts (myself included) have a hard time following. Being the loudest and driving your ideas home to others does not necessarily make your ideas the best.

Susan Cain has a book that can make any introvert proud of their nature. She shows ways many introverts have achieved high levels of success, even in people person positions of authority. This is an important read for introverts to understand why we act the way we do and an important book for extroverts to help them understand the remaining 1/3 of the population.

This is a personal development book for a fairly narrow niche. These days many tasks can be outsourced and delegated, specifically if you have your own business or side hustle. Trying to do everything yourself is not a growth mindset. This book lays out clear paths to outsourcing significant amount of work in a methodical manner.

If you have no need for outsourcing this book is not for you. However if you have ever thought about the possibilities of outsourcing mundane tasks, then this book should be a must read.

Why do people say yes? Why do they buy things? Dr. Cialdinis classic book shows the science behind why people are persuaded.

This book will help you understand the importance of social proof, scarcity, authority, reciprocation and more on others and how it can help you to get the important yes or purchase in your business or at work. Peoples decisions are often not made by a rational argument and well laid out plans. It is important to truly understand why people really choose the way they do.

Procrastination is a problem that plagues many people. I might even be bold enough to say that MOST people suffer from procrastination from time to time. It is human nature.

However, there are good scientific reasons why people procrastinate and just as many good science backed methods to overcome procrastination. Dr. Neil Fiore gives an exhaustive overview of why we procrastinate and what we can do about overcoming procrastination.

If you enjoy reading nonfiction books, then I encourage you to check out the Blinkist app.

Blinkist is an interesting concept

Blinkist summarized over 2,000 of the bestselling books and put them into condensed 7 to 15 minute reads (or blinks). The idea here is to give you the key insights and important lessons without wasting your time on pointless information.

Blinkist book summaries are perfect for anyone who wants to maximize those random moments when you have to kill time. Like when you want to kill time before an appointment or youre standing on a long line at Starbucks.

You can use Blinkist to complete a book daily, learn the valuable lessons, and avoid the fluff that often pad longer books.

Click here to try a 1-Day Free Trial for Blinkist

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20 Best Personal Development and Self-Help Books

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The Locus of Creative Interpretation in Buddhist Thought and CultureEnlightenment through Celibacy or Celibacy through Enlightenment?Celibacy and Salvation in Sir Gawain and the Green KnightSaving MahatmaGandhiThe Early Vinaya Stand on Monastic Sexual BehaviourEnlightenment through Celibacy or Celibacy through Enlightenment?Is Celibacy Anachronistic?The Korean Buddhist Canon: A Descriptive Catalogue, by Lancaster and ParkDoing practice by Ganhwaseon in AmericaSeon Thought of Master Baegun GyeonghanThe Argument on Seon in Late Joseon PeriodGanhwaseon Practice in Europe: Present Situation and FutureThe Role and Significance of Korean Seon in the Study of East Asian BuddhismTheravda-Mahyna Dialogue: A Mahyna PerspectiveInterpenetration and Essence-Function in Wonhyo, Chinul and KihwaThe Theory and the Reality in Historical PerspectiveThe awakening of faith in the Mahayanasudden awakening-sudden cultivation, gradual cultivation Seongcheol Zen masters critical view on..The Hermeneutical Problem Of Truth Claims and Scriptural Plurality in the Mdhyamika Buddhism DUN : A Chinese concept as a Key to Mysticism in East and WestRita M. Gross This Buddhists View of Jesus Buddhist-Christian StudiesWas Jesus a Buddhist?Korean History: A Bibliography : Religion and Philosophy: BuddhismJnarbhadra and Jnavajra: Their Biographical Approaches..A Study on Mahyana Buddhism and VegetarianismStudy on character transformation and Zen therapyThe study on practice of hra(food, nutriment) in the Early BuddhismContemplation on the 25 methods of Jigye and practicing JigwanMisunderstandings of Enlightenment, and the TruthWisdom, Compassion, and Zen Social Ethics: the Case of Jinul, SeongcheolHuyan Theoretical Interpretation on Jinuls Sudden Enlightenment and Gradual CultivationA Comparative Study of the Humanistic Approaches for Zen TherapyThe Practical Thought of Chan and the Question of Self-realizationMeditation in GandhraMeditation in Multiple Contexts: Early Buddhist Manuscripts and InscriptionsKorean Seon Centers and their Present StateChoi Uisuns Zen Thoughts and the Spirits of Tea TaoOn the ecological culture of AhisMajo()s Idea of Tao() and its Ecological StructureThe Occurrence and Completion of Mercy in the nyat-vda of MdhyamikaThe study of activity and realistic recognition of an enlightened Buddhist monkDoing practice by Gan-Hua Seon in AmericaThe idea of the Saddharma-pundarika-sutra mentioned inThe Sudden and Gradual Problem in the Ganhwa MeditationThe Accommodation of Ganwhaseon and Its Characteristics in KoreaA Comparative Study Between the Theory of Mudogasu of ChuntaeDharmakrti and Taego Boowoo on the Transformation of ConsciousnessA Study on Mengshan De-yis Activity and His Relation with the Korean BuddhismThe real character of practice in the Khanwha-sn()The formations come into being of Ganhwa-Seon()The Spirit of Buddhist Monastic Precepts & Christian Monastic Rules: a Comparative StudyThe Buhyu Line Members Perception of the Lines and the Heritages of Master BojoKanhwasn Practice in Europe Present Situation and FutureHwadu Meditation and Contemporary SocietyThe Psycho-semantic Structure of the Word knti (Ch. Jen)The Correct Path of SeonThe Modern Significance of Sudden Awakeningsudden awakening-sudden cultivation / sudden awakening-gradual cultivationThe Antecedents of Encounter Dialogue in Chinese Chan BuddhismTo Become Truly HumanOn the Buddha-nature of Insentient ThingsBuddha Nature, Buddha PracticeSelf and meditation in Indian BuddhismThe Ecological Dimensions of East Asian Buddhism Critically Considered.A Response to the Critical Buddhist Position on ZenCritical Considerations on Zen ThoughtPRACTICAL PRINCIPLE OF HAKUIN ZENThe Linchi-lu and the Korean seon Buddhist TraditionThe Reflection On The Metaphysical Presuppositions Of The Korean BuddhismTHE SYSTEM OF PRACTICE OF THE PATRIARCHAL CHAN BUDDHISM ()The Role of Zen Buddhism in the Modern Scientific EraThe Tun-huang Text of the Platform Suutra : Reflection on and Prospect of Its StudyBodhidharmas Practice of Recompense and Formation of Chan BuddhismThe Role and Significance of Korean Son in the Study of East Asian Buddhism

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