Category Archives: Changemaker Library
About the Changemaker Creativity Books
Boat by MorBCH
The Changemaker Library has been divided into ten categories. These are core, creativity, exercise, food, health, meditation, peace of mind, personal development, spiritual direction, and stress reduction. A few of the books have been recommended for more than one category.
Creativity is the secret to being in our passion. We are in our “flow” when we are working and time seems to disappear. Joy can’t be discovered by the mind. Joy happens when our total being–thoughts, words, feelings–are all focused at the same time. Joy comes from the heart.
Mihaly Csikszentmihaly states that flow has the following components:
1. Usually occurs when we confront tasks we have a chance of completing
2. We must be able to concentrate on what we are doing.
3. Concentration is usually possible because the task undertaken has clear goals and provides immediate feedback..
4. One acts with a deep but effortless involvement that removes awareness of the worries and frustrations of everyday life.
5. Enjoyable experiences allow people to exercise a sense of control over their actions.
6. Concern for the self disappears, yet paradoxically the sense of self emerges stronger after the flow experience is over.
7. The sense of the duration of time is altered; hours pass by in minutes.
Also to create harmony in whatever one does is the last task the flow theory presents. Athletes call this phenomenon being in the “zone”.
The Changemaker Library recommended these books for creativity:
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
Julia Cameron
ISBN 0-87477-694-5
Fingerpainting on the Moon: Writing and Creativity as a Path to Freedom
Peter Levitt
ISBN 0-609-61048-1
Prosperity Pie: How to Relax About Money and Everything Else
SARK
ISBN 0-7432-2920-7
The Vein of Gold: A Journey to Your Creative Heart (Companion to The Artist’s Way)
Julia Cameron
ISBN 0-87477-836-0
Tags: creativity, prosperity, relax.creative, spiritual, writing
Stress Relief Book 3: Essential Stretch
Falun Dafa the Second by longtrekhome
Essential Stretch: Gentle Movements for Stress Relief, Flexability and Overall Well-Being
Michelle LeMay
ISBN 0-300-52893-8
Essential Stretch by Michelle LeMay with the ISBN 0-399-52893-8 is featured in this post. Michelle has spent years developing and teaching her stretch techniques. The table of contacts includes the basics, the blessings, the techniques (oscillations, breath, heart activation, meditation and centering), the stretches (full body, lower body and upper body), and five different routines depending on the user’s skill level.
The five routines are: (1) full body routine for getting started, (2) full body routine for the seasoned stretcher, (3) short and sweet routines, (4) daily stretches, and (5) mind your mind.
Her centering process includes several helpful techniques. Centering is the ability to “tune out” inner and external stress and get in touch with your quietness inside you. We each have this center but this technique needs to be strengthened in order to lower our stress level. Remember it is our reaction to stress that uses the most useless energy. We want to bombard our stressor. But the centering process helps to use our energy the only place that we can make a difference—on ourselves.
The techniques for centering that she includes are: (1) increase your self-awareness, (2) quiet your mind, (3) focus inward, and (4) create a positive shift. The positive shift uses clarity, letting go of burdens, self-love, peace, mind/body connection, and being happy statements to be included with your stretch.
Excerpt from the book:
“Essential Stretch is a simple movement technique. Anyone can do it—no matter what your age or fitness level—and everyone can benefit from it, even super-fit athletes and dancers. Unfortunately, when it comes to exercise programs, stretch has been placed on the back burner, or related to the category of exercise for the elderly. But research reveals that stretching is often the missing link in successful exercise programs, As you will see, it is becoming apparent that it may be the missing link in our lives.”
Tags: centering, energy, exercises, peace, positive, self-awareness, stress relief, stressor, stretch
