Book Description
In this provocative book, author, consultant, and church leadership developer Reggie McNeal debunks these and other old assumptions and provides an overall strategy to help church leaders move forward in an entirely different and much more effective way. In The Present Future, McNeal identifies the six most important realities that church leaders must address including: recapturing the spirit of Christianity and replacing "church growth" with a wider vision of kingdom growth; developing disciples instead of church members; fostering the rise of a new apostolic leadership; focusing on spiritual formation rather than church programs; and shifting from prediction and planning to preparation for the challenges of an uncertain world. McNeal contends that by changing the questions church leaders ask themselves about their congregations and their plans, they can frame the core issues and approach the future with new eyes, new purpose, and new ideas.
Also available: The Present Future DVD Collection (978-0-7879-8673-5), Reggie McNeal's DVD presentation of the ideas and insights featured in his best-selling book.
Customer Reviews:
Asking The Hard Questions.......2007-10-17
Fantastic book. Really makes you reflect on your ministry and the questions the book asks gives a structure for evaluating the overall focus of your church. I would highly recommened this book for someone seeking to bring about revitalization within their congregation and personal ministry.
The New Church.......2007-09-11
Excellent book which speaks to the problems the modern church faces. Gives specific information and direction to deal with current issues. I have found this work tremendously useful in advocating change for the church I serve as pastor.
One that must be read........2007-07-25
This book explores the emergent church culture. The book's focus is on missional living within a ever changing culture. The books deals with the changing paradigm of modernism to postmodernism. Some church leaders would consider this book radical, but this book is helpful in providing a proper perspective on reaching out in faith. It is a plea to change churchianity into Christianity. Because of the influence of mega-church culture, we have been seduced into selling Christianity like a product on the open market, the book presents a way to authentically change the community for Christ.
Church Transformation.......2007-05-24
While many will be turned off by the author's strong language and seeming 'over stating' of the case; most of what McNeal says and recommends rings true. The church in North America is dying and dying rather fast as seem by the exodus of members and churches from the major denominations. If you are a leader - and especially a pastor - in a church you need to study this book (preferable with the rest of your team) and seriously consider what and how you are going to respond to the new world order. Unlike the Boomer Generation who have `grown up' and for the most part taken their responsible position in leadership in the ministries of the church, this current last generation (Millenniest or Matrix) are not likely to do that. They are looking for something better and God may indeed pass by the North American Church to accomplish His purpose in reaching the entire world with the Love of Jesus for the Glory of God.
The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church.......2007-05-15
Excellent book! SO HELPFUL!
Average customer rating:
- Not as good as the book...
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The Present Future DVD Collection: Six Tough Questions for the Church
Reggie McNeal
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
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Book Description
Join Reggie McNeal in person in this lively video presentation, based on his best-selling book, The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church. In this ten-session four-DVD curriculum you will accompany best-selling author Reggie McNeal and his studio audience as they explore the six most important new realities that church leaders must face as they are to move beyond "churchianity" to a more authentic and missional Christian faith. By changing the questions church leaders ask themselves about their congregations and their mission, they can reshape the Christian movement in North America acknowledge generational shifts, and provide stimulating new ways of thinking about the missional possibilities of the church.
Filmed live before a studio audience, with Reggie McNeal teaching in his own distinctive style, the package includes 4 DVDs, 1 Leader's Guide and 1 Participant's Guide. The Participant's Guides may be purchased separately (ISBN: 9780787991708).
Customer Reviews:
Not as good as the book..........2007-08-09
It was good, and it did help, but the book made for great discussion, infact the discussion that was birthed from the book was better than that spawned from the video series...Would I buy it again, not if I had a friend to borrow it from, however, if you liked the book you will like the series, and for the leader of the group it makes for a great back up as you read, you can also watch, for me that was helpful.
Amazon.com
Change. It's fast, furious, relentless--and we're all in the midst of it. Indeed, it's the topic of choice for most business books on the market today. The problem, however, is that so many of these books merely warn managers how to plan for and anticipate change, rather than giving useful guidance on how to react to it successfully.
That's where the authors of The Minding Organization have made a difference. Rubinstein and Firstenberg believe that the real issue for businesses dealing with change lies in developing a truly adaptable organization. Being able to adapt, they argue, is the key not only to coping with a continuously changing environment but to addressing the problems that arise within that environment with innovative, successful solutions. An adaptable organization is a living, breathing organism, a "minding organization" that coordinates its goals and efforts as a single being. Each part of the organization knows what the other parts are doing, and is committed to creating a cohesive unit that maintains a unified focus for the future, shares information, articulates and learns from the individual errors of its members, continually seeks to strengthen its powers of perception, and is able to express itself creatively in a variety of ways. By developing this unity, an organization can bring the future closer to the present; it will be able to respond to events in real time, thereby transforming change from a threat to continued existence to a catalyst for improved performance. This type of organization won't shy away from the chaos of change but will embrace its opportunities, ready and well equipped to respond quickly and effectively.
The Minding Organization is a meaty book, packed with inspiring examples, solid analyses, and practical suggestions. Rubinstein, a professor at the UCLA School of Engineering and Applied Science, and Firstenberg, an adjunct professor in UCLA's Psychology Department, make a good team (they also wrote Patterns of Problem Solving). They apply theoretical knowledge and practical experience to the realities of the business world in a timely and useful manner. Forget being the CEO; this book will teach you how to be an OEC, an operator on the edge of chaos, capable of inspiring and leading a flexible, evolving, and thriving organization. --S. Ketchum
Book Description
A few years ago, Cementos Mexicanos (Cemex), the world's third-largest cement company, was struggling. More than two-thirds of their deliveries were late, customer complaints were numerous, and new orders were dwindling sharply. Then Cemex executives realized they needed to get a glimpse of the future. They saw themselves responding to customer needs as each need emerged. They visualized successful deliveries with orders placed only an hour in advance. Their entire organization became involved in the process of adapting to unplanned occurrences. By embracing the uncertainty and chaos of their business and a company-wide commitment to excellence, Cemex was completely transformed in a matter of months.
This is a remarkable example of minding: identifying a purpose, developing a team, and acting to accomplish that purpose. Achieving this kind of high-level connection is what The Minding Organization is all about. This book will show you how to transform your organization into one that behaves like a living organism-alive with ideas and instantly able to adapt for survival in an increasingly complex, unpredictable global business world.
A minding organization coordinates its efforts as a single being; the right hand literally knows what the left hand is doing. The minding process will help you save precious work time, avoid costly mistakes, build incentives for speed, and find creative solutions when unpredictable problems arise.
Creating a minding organization will teach you how to:
* Operate on the edge of chaos, embracing uncertainty as a strategy
* Bring insights up front that would normally be learned much later
* Distribute decision-making in such a way that everyone has the responsibility to be right and the authority to be wrong
* Create an environment in which the human spirit can soar
The Minding Organization will show you how less planning and more adapting makes for a competitive advantage, as you learn to cope with new, ever-changing conditions and innovate faster than your competitors.
Praise for The Minding Organization
Professor Rubinstein is one of the foremost experts on creativity within organizations. The Minding Organization is a well-written guide . . . [that] is must reading for anyone responsible for minding the organization.-Norman R. Augustine, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Lockheed Martin
The authors make intuitive good sense and give strategic thinkers the tools they need to turn perceived liabilities-chaos, disorder, unpredictable change-into assets. I've made it must reading for everyone in my organization. The only people I haven't recommended it to are my competitors.-Timothy W. Hannemann, Executive Vice President and General Manager, TRW
This book gives an accessible view of the organization as a living, connected organism. Drs. Rubinstein and Firstenberg have shared an insightful and elegant concept of what successful twenty-first-century organizations MUST be like if they want to survive and grow. We are putting the ideas in this book to use now!-Michael E. Allgeier, Division Vice President, Sensors and Electronics Segment, Raytheon
Rubinstein is as ebullient in print as he is in person. The Minding Organization transcends time and theory, enabling the practice of innovation as an everyday occurrence.-Stephan Argent, Creative Director, iCandy Inc.
In this book you'll find out how to open up a world of opportunity by 'bringing the future to the present'-visualizing the ideal end state and working backwards. You'll see how many obstacles can be eliminated, making the unachievable achievable.-Tom Williams, Vice President, Long Range Strike Business Area, Northrop Grumman Corporation
Customer Reviews:
The Care and Feeding of Intellect.......2000-05-03
According to the authors, "To keep up with the complexity and uncertainty of an unconventional and largely unpredictable global business world, organizations must embrace a new metaphor that will transform an organization into a minding organization. The minding organization behaves like a living organism, in which adapting is central to vitality and control." Agreeing with Drucker that organizations must manage the implications and consequences of a future that has already occurred, the authors suggest a number of strategies which will "bring the future to the present and turn creative ideas into business solutions." Their book is organized as follows:
Chapter One: The Minding Organization
Chapter Two: Transforming the Organization into an Organism
Chapter Three: Adapting and Planning
Chapter Four: Structure, Creativity, and Error: The Foundations of the Minding Organization
Chapter Five: Chaos to Order to Chaos: Embracing Uncertainty
Chapter Six: Expanding the Imagination: Frames as Filters
Chapter Seven: Kniht [Think] Backward: Visit the Future in the Present
Chapter Eight: The New Leadership: Operating on the Edge of Chaos
Chapter Nine: The Minding Organization in Action
The authors provide a rigorous analysis of each component of a process by which to "bring the future to the present and turn creative ideas into business solutions." At the conclusion of Chapter Six, they suggest that the minding organization "creates chaos deliberately up front by starting with divergent concurrent perceptions and encourages errors to surface early when the costs of detection and correction are minimal." Immediately in the next chapter, they explain that the "frames" we create "filter the world for us, allowing us to manage the tremendous amount of information available." They then examine various "filters" which could prevent us from formulating the aforementioned "divergent concurrent perceptions." The sequence of the authors' ideas thus flows logically from one chapter to the next.
In the final chapter, the authors identify thirteen "precepts" of the minding organization. By now they have explained the interrelationships between (indeed the interdependence of) these precepts; they have also provided a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective plan by which to apply those precepts to the needs of any organization, regardless of its size or nature.
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to read two books written by Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline and The Dance of Change. Rubinstein, Firstenberg, and Senge no doubt agree with Derek Bok's observation, when criticized by parents of Harvard students after a tuition increase: "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." In the minding organization, education is alive and well...and given its relative cost, a bargain.
First "Learning" Organisation, Now "Minding" Organisation.......1999-11-30
This book taps into the trend of seeing organisations in organic terms and focusing on action-based creativity. It is about creating a "minding organization," one that behaves like a human being-instantly able to adapt to new and ever-changing conditions; where the right hand literally knows what the left hand is doing.
In a minding organization, all of the parties involved in a project-whether it's developing a new product, streamlining a process, or changing a strategy-get together from the start to explore the issues. They bring insights up front that would normally be learned only later on, a kind of high-level connection that is the hallmark of the minding organization and the surest way to gain competitive advantage. The goal of a minding organization is to adapt so readily that it innovates before its competitors do.
This book shows managers how to transform their organisation into one that behaves like a living organism-alive with ideas and instantly able to adapt for survival in an increasingly complex, unpredictable global business world.
Moshe F. Rubinstein is a professor at the UCLA School of Engineering and a frequent speaker at universities and organizations all over the world. Iris R. Firstenberg is an adjunct professor in the UCLA Department of Psychology and has also taught at the UCLA School of Engineering and the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.
Reviewed by Azlan Adnan, Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management Group.
Book Description
“With all its defects, with all the failures that we can check up against it, the UN still represents man’s best-organized hope to substitute the conference table for the battlefield.”
–Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961
The signing of the United Nations Charter in 1945 was an unprecedented development in the history of humankind. For the first time, the world’s most powerful sovereign nation states came together to create an autonomous organization designed to, in the Charter’s words, “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war [and] reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights.” Sixty years later, the UN still doggedly pursues that mandate, albeit not without difficulty and certainly not without criticism.
In The Parliament of Man, the distinguished scholar Paul Kennedy gives a thorough and timely history of the United Nations that explains the institution’s roots and functions while also casting an objective eye on the UN’s effectiveness as a body and on its prospects for success in meeting the challenges that lie ahead.
Building on expertise he gained in drafting official reports for the UN’s fiftieth anniversary on how to improve the organization’s performance, Kennedy makes sense of the many commissions and committees, and how its six main operating bodies–General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (UNESCO), Trusteeship Council, Secretariat, and International Court–operate and interact. Citing examples from the UN’s history, he shows how the five permanent members of the Security Council–the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and France–on numerous occasions overcame political antagonisms to spearhead military supervision of aid in humanitarian crises, and how lack of cooperation among the great powers has hamstrung such initiatives as the control of greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbated the deleterious effects of globalization on developing nations’ economies.
As a body, the UN emerges here for what it is: fallible, human-based, oftentimes dependent on the whims of powerful national governments or the foibles of individual senior UN administrators, but utterly indispensable. In The Parliament of Man, Kennedy ably proves that “it is difficult to imagine how much more riven and ruinous our world of six billion people would be if there had been no UN social, environmental, and cultural agendas–and no institutions to attempt to put them into practice on the ground.”
Customer Reviews:
a solid but somewhat dry overview of the UN.......2007-09-19
As a reporter who has covered the UN, I read this book around the time I first came here. It is helpful for understanding the basic layout of the organization, its history and purpose, which are things that I was completely in the dark on before I came here and rather suspect most of my countrymen are ill-informed on as well. The chapter on the history of the Security Council is extremely helpful in getting a basic understanding of the UN's role in major foreign affairs in the past 60 years. However, this book is often dry and rambly in its later stages, and just doesn't have that much to say about, say, NGOs and civil society. By contrast, I found James Traub's "The Best Intentions," on the twilight of the Kofi Annan years here, to be a more engaging, if slightly less objectively detached, treatise of the United Nations.
A Tour d'Horizon of the UN's Successes and Failures.......2006-09-12
In 1945, in San Francisco, when the UN Charter was written, the victors of the Second World War were looking to create an international body that would guarantee global security and prevent another conflagration like the one they had just experienced. The lines from the Tennyson poem "Locksley Hall:" "Till the war-drum throbbed no longer, and the battle flags were furl'd / In the Parliament of Man, Federation of the World" were carried by President Truman in his back pocket when he gave his famous address calling for a United Nations.
Paul Kennedy, Yale historian and author of "The Rise and Fall of Great Powers," reminds us that the internal contradictions that exist at the UN today were present at creation, so to speak. The UN was essentially created by the victors of World War II. The General Assembly, which at the time was made up of 49 members, reflected the internationalism of this venture, each member was allowed one vote regardless of size or power. The Security Council, on the other hand, made up of the five permanent members ( the US, China, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union) were the only members allowed the veto reflecting the realism of the founders.
Essentially the UN is no more than what the great powers want it to be. It is disingenuous for the American right to attack the UN for being weak and ineffectual when they need it because it was designed to be so. In the case of Rwanda and Bosnia, the UN stood by helplessly while thousands were massacred; this was because no great power stepped forward in time to stop these atrocities. Likewise, if a great power decides to act unilaterally such as the US in Iraq or China in Tibet, there is nothing the UN can do. In the politcal and military realm the UN is primarily a tool for the great powers.
Any reform of the UN Charter, such as creating a standing army or increasing the number of permanent members of the Security Council, must be approved by all five of the existing permanent members. Over the years there have been endless commissions, reports, and proposals calling for structural reform at the UN, but none have succeeded in persuading the current five to change the status quo. One must concede that if the current five cannot agree on reform, it would be even more difficult for a larger group.
Kennedy points out that "there are in practice many UN's." Most citizens of great power countries think of the UN only in it's peacekeeping and peace-enforcing capacity - a capacity in which in does not have much power. Most of the developing world is more interested in the UN's "soft power," dealing with human rights, poverty alleviation, refugees, and public health. In these areas, UN efforts have met with some success. These people working through the UN and other NGO's have been instrumental in creating an international civil society, which have greatly contributed to global security and well-being.
Only a few years ago during the invasion of Iraq, American conservatives declared the UN useless and irrelevant. Recently, however, with the crisis in Lebanon and the nuclear stand-off with Iran, one great power after another is going to the UN with another resolution. Inspite of all it's shortcomings, it is still the only global forum for conflict resolution and burden-sharing.
In the last part of this book, Kennedy asks whether the UN can remake itself to reflect the realities of the 21st century. The answer lies in how much power the great powers are willing to relinquish. Globalization is rapidly creating a world that is more multilayered and interconnected. Will the UN be able to keep pace with these changes or will the world pass it by? Kennedy is an optimist.
Balanced assessment of the UN.......2006-08-14
There is not much new in this book for those who follow the UN, but it is a balanced assessment. His reform recommendations err on the conservative side, although he does show how the US Congress imposes limits on the organization and then blames it for not doing more. The book is intended for a general readership rather than scholars or those with an in-depth knowledge of the UN.
Moving forward, looking back.......2006-06-27
Analyzing almost sixty years of United Nations history is, to say the least, an ambitious undertaking. Kennedy has tackled the challenge admirably producing a substantive and very readable account of the "evolution of the many UNs since 1945". His previous participation in the review and reform process of the UN system adds to his qualifications. This study is an excellent entry for anybody interested in learning more about this unique institution, its origins, growth and progress into one of the most complex international organizations.
Kennedy anchors his analysis firmly in the Charter of the United Nations, negotiated toward the end of World War II by the "Big Three" (US, Britain and USSR). He often refers back to these early days to remind the reader of the historical context of the UN and the challenges that ensued from these beginnings. The reader is reminded that only 50 states signed the Charter back in 1945, while the UN today has 191 members. Following chapter 1, which provides an overview of the origins of the UN, Kennedy groups the historical analysis by the major themes, reflecting the core responsibilities of the UN bodies, such as security, peace and war; the social and economic spheres; international human rights and finally global governance, democratization and civil society. It is in this context that Kennedy refers to the "many UNs. In the final part the author summarizes current trends in the reform debates of the UN and includes recommendations for future development.
Taking the theme approach engages the reader more easily in the historical perspective on the UN. Kennedy provides many examples of successes and failures in the areas of peacekeeping (or making) and in the social, economic and human rights spheres. He does not shy away from criticism. In particular, he deems the (end-of-war) structure of the Security Council with its veto system too rigid and explains why. During the long years of the Cold War, it often prevented urgent actions to be taken in response to crises. With the Security Council continuing as the primary decision making body of the UN, Kennedy sides with those proposing change that promote an expansion of the Council and restrictive rules in the use of veto. As concerns the Social and Economic Council (ECOSOC) he laments the lack of clarity in its mandate and the resulting weaknesses. The problems here have been compounded, he argues, by the parallel independent development of the Bretton Woods institutions (World Bank and IMF). It is somewhat surprising hat he accords them a rather prominent place in this context. By necessity of scope, generalizations are made about these institutions' impact on developing countries that could be challenged, for example as regards "structural adjustment programs".
An obvious disadvantage of the thematic approach is a certain level of duplication in some cases or omissions in others. The confusing array of committees, commissions etc. dealing with gender and women's issues is raised without questioning the reasons. In the section on international human rights where gender should be treated as an integral part, the linkages are not made. Kennedy treats the increasing involvement of civil society at the UN as a positive development, yet his analysis is less satisfactory. He highlights the contributions of a few international NGOs rather than on the ever-stronger civil society networks, in particular those emerging in the South. Furthermore, while referring to this aspect of UN work as "messy", Kennedy omits a major initiative in the UN to streamline the work with civil society organizations through the establishment of networks and "major groups" representation.
Kennedy clearly places himself on the side of those reformers who want to strengthen the UN system with an emphasis on progressing step by step in the different areas of its complex structure. Enhancing the operations of the major UN bodies in the social, economic and human rights fields, expanding the Security Council, establishing closer coordination with the Bretton Woods institutions and the UN and related intergovernmental agencies, etc. will have a positive impact on the whole organization and lead to a future that can benefit the peoples of the world. He is realist enough to appreciate the challenges ahead in this direction given the current global power structures. [Friederike Knabe]
Book Description
A one-voume reference to the history of ideas that is a compendium of everything that humankind has thought, invented, created, considered, and perfected from the beginning of civilization into the twenty-first century. Massive in its scope, and yet totally accessible, A HISTORY OF KNOWLEDGE covers not only all the great theories and discoveries of the human race, but also explores the social conditions, political climates, and individual men and women of genius that brought ideas to fruition throughout history.
"Crystal clear and concise...Explains how humankind got to know what it knows."
Clifton Fadiman
Selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club and the History Book Club
Customer Reviews:
A Noble Attempt that Falls Flat.......2007-09-14
Though sweeping in the expanse of its subject, A History of Knowledge looses focus in its final quarter. Charles van Doren begins his history before recorded time and follows the history of ideas up to and beyond the year 1991. As he skips across the peaks of history touching on the major historical events, he keeps his reader's interest with his masterful retelling of history.
He justifies his concentration on western civilization because of the "Greek revolution" of the 4th century B.C. By their interest in the physical world and how it works, the Greeks discovered philosophy, logic, and the scientific method thereby eclipsing the civilizations of the east. He continues with the Greeks laying the foundations for liberal education.
Contrary to other reviews, there is not a Christian bias to this book. The Church inherited the Greek tradition and was a major player in the history of Europe. Truly, Charles van Doren seems impartial at best to Christianity, even scrapping all religions to the dustbin as an enemy of democracy and egalitarianism.
Charles van Doren covers the major thinkers and occurrences up until the end of the 18th century in only 300 pages--definitely reflecting his long career as a writer and editor of the Encyclopedia Britannica. From the time of the French Revolution until his predictions of the possible future, the writing becomes less informative and more editorial, betraying a fondness for egalitarianism, Marxism, and a global government.
Over and over again he lauds the French Revolution as a watershed in history. He speaks highly of that egalitarian dream of Marx; although with the good sense to condemn communism as being a perversion of Marx's ideal, but mostly because of its totalitarian and theocratic tendencies. Towards the end he even begins speaking of the ideal of a one world government based on egalitarianism, a moderate redistribution of wealth, and equality of opportunity.
Tradition is continually seen as anathema to reason and the progress of ideas. At times this is justified, at other times, however, Charles van Doren berates tradition because it is merely tradition. Rightly so he condemns Aristotle's idea of some peoples being "natural slaves," but is not nuanced enough to realize that this does not necessarily negate the idea of a "natural aristocracy" as John Adams termed those men of the young American republic who, through being educated, informed, and persuasive, improve and lead society and culture forward.
The book, though good in the beginning, is overall less than satisfying. The final 100 pages of the 400 page book are unfocused and rife with subjective asides that have controversy and fantasy that distract from the work's noble objective promised by the title.
a contribution to our civilization.......2007-06-22
This is an excellent book...especially the important ideas of our modern times, including the insights of how the success of a democracy rests on the people trusting their government, and of our unfortunate addiction to violence. I am grateful to you, Charles Van Doren, for your important contribution to my understanding of our civilization.
Excellent Overview of the Western Tradition -- Some Sweeping Claims.......2007-06-06
Charles van Doren has written a very readable and thoughtful review of the western cultural tradition that both includes virtually all of the important formative elements and connects them in a sensible way. This book is ideal as a companion to other textbooks for university courses in western history and culture. It is also a worthwhile review for the general public who want to have a better understanding of our debt to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and to trace the developments that led from the Dark Ages to the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Age of Reason.
Van Doren is somewhat less helpful in dealing with the 20th century, and his speculation about the 21st century. He does, however, correctly discuss the dangers of adopting a modern theocracy. In that, he anticipates some of the foreign policy problems we have faced recently in the Middle East.
Mind the gaps?.......2007-04-10
I read this book a decade ago and it remains one of the most important books in my library.
Many reviewers have rated this book poorly on the basis it is sketchy, biased, incomplete, full of gaps. These reviewers appear to have read the book as if it were titled "THE History of Knowledge ..." Ironically, Van Doren himself, in his book How to Read a Book points out the importance of clearly understanding a book's title in order to understand its content.
The beauty of "A History of Knowledge ..." for me is that it has given me a framework, a century by century bullet point list if you like, from which to launch into those gaps.
And Van Doren's views and biases are what make the book easy to read and interesting.
A History of Knowledge.......2007-01-05
I love books or TV shows that connect the dots of the great thinkers, events, discoveries, technologies and inventions across history, much like James Burke's "Connections" programs. This book is ideal for anyone with similar interests. Events of the 20 years since publication render the author's predictions in the last chapters moot. Overall, I found it enlightening and a good value.
Average customer rating:
- Not great, not terrible
- Trippy Read
- Life changing information
- If you want to FEEL different -then do the Process!
- Hoffman Process extracts the psychic scream/root of pain
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The Hoffman Process: The World-Famous Technique That Empowers You to Forgive Your Past, Heal Your Present, and Transform Your Future
Tim Laurence
Manufacturer: Bantam
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ASIN: 0553382764
Release Date: 2004-06-01 |
Book Description
For more than 35 years, the Hoffman Process has been recognized as one of the most potent transformational processes; however, the 8-day residential program is out of reach for most people. Now, Tim Laurence reveals this powerful methodology with warmth and clarity. Using practical exercises, personal stories, case histories, and insightful commentary, Laurence skillfully teaches how to identify and resolve the inherited patterns of behavior that cause emotional and spiritual pain. In this book readers will learn powerful ways to:
Break the compulsive patterns that run your life, exercise your own free will, and regain control of your thoughts and behavior
Free up energy by releasing your pent-up resentments and directly experience your own spirituality
Identify what you really want in life, and finally make the changes you have been putting off for years
The Hoffman Process is endorsed by an extraordinary array of experts and leaders from all walks of life, and it includes the results of a grant research study proving the long-term effectiveness of the Process.
Customer Reviews:
Not great, not terrible.......2007-07-25
I just bought this book a few days ago because of the glowing reccomendation on the front cover by Joan Borysenko, and because it claims to contain "the world-famous technique that empowers you to forgive your past, heal your present and trasform your future." I have been on a healing path for 5 years and I've read many books---and there's nothing new contained in this book. It's a pretty typical primer for basic life healing. If you are brand new to any form of therapy, or self-help techniques you will probably find this book helpful, but if you are already on the path or you have particularly agressive ego defenses in place---this book will feel (and be, because I have already done everything the author suggests) simplistic.
For example, the author described a long-term smoker who wanted to quit, who had lots of reasons and was clear that he hated the habbit, but who just couldn't do it. The author suggested that everytime he had a cigarette, he sit and explore the circumstances that triggered his desire to smoke. After a few days the man realized he wanted to smoke whenever he felt nervous or socially uncomfortable. The smoker then decided to start throwing dinner parties to counter his social discomfort and as a result he soon quit smoking. Just like magic. Does that sound liek something that might help you? If so---this is your book.
The author basically lays out the process like this: Figure out what you want to chang in your life and what your personality defect are (he has a list to choose from if you're coming up short). Analyze where you got the problem to begin with (the book assets point blank, your parents) forgive your parents, forgive yourself, decide what you want for your future, visualize it, give back old habbits to the people who taught them to you via declaration that you don't want them anymore, and you will naturally change. There is nothing more than this.
The author writes, "when we are finally able to come to terms with blocked or unhealthy emotions and to replace them with loving acceptance, the healing process will have worked deep within us. We will be able to love and accept love, the untimate lesson of our lives." --Not what I would call a profound statement, but this is the depth of advice you should expect from reading this book. Lots of feel good, catchy little quotes from other authors (the author is not a therapist or guru) who seemed like their books would be better, and generic advice meant to cover a broad spectrum of issues, and to make you feel better about yourself. But transform your future? I don't know about that. But I do know that if I had not hi-lighted a few sentences in the begining of the book, before I realized it was not going to address my issue with any depth, I would have returned it for my $$ back.
Trippy Read.......2006-11-11
Funny thing is it works. A few simple questions and BOOM! Clarity, honest to God!
Life changing information.......2006-08-19
I recommend this book all to my clients and friends. It is a must read for parents who honestly want to be the best parent to their children and who really want to show up in this life as the best they can be. I always keep a few extra copies on hand to give away.
If you want to FEEL different -then do the Process!.......2006-03-24
I did the Hoffman Process almost three years ago and have referred many people to it since then. I can, with an open heart, honestly say that doing the Process was the biggest gift I could have ever given myself, my parents and all the people I love. If you have a voice within that is searching for something and you just don't know what it is -then consider the Process. The only way I can describe it is as the imperative missing link to the million piece puzzle that made up me and my life. The Process is loving and very powerful and was the key to organic lasting change for me.
Hoffman Process extracts the psychic scream/root of pain.......2005-01-16
Have you ever noticed that no matter how much you know ... it doesn't make a difference? Have you struggled with very long-standing childhood-based hurts that no amount of seminars, workshops, support groups, or counselling has been able to help resolve 100%?
If you find yourself on a seemingly endless search for healing without permanent measureable relief then the Hoffman Process may be for you. The Hoffman Process has been described as the world's best kept secret. Presented in an 8-day residential retreat around the world, the process has been endorsed and advocated by many medical doctors, psychologists, and others in the healing profession. Known for its breakthrough results and ability to gently "crack the hardest nut (no pun intended)", the Hoffman Process helps participants achieve a connection with self by releasing decades of hurt, anger, resentment, vindictiveness, and other destructive negative emotions and behaviors. People from all walks of life have benefited from this remarkable loving program.
I am a graduate of the Hoffman Process and truly believe this is the only method that fully releases people of the roots of pain, anger, and the torture of negativity. The beauty of the process is that it connects the head and the heart while removing destructive self-sabotage patterns that one has believed ingrained in themselves. Hoffman produces a powerful relief. It is not a cure-all, and one has to do the work to get the benefit, but nothing else I have tried has brought to me such a sweet place of serene tranquility and joy. For those of you who have tried all sorts of healing methods and still are plagued with inner struggle ... I highly urge you to consider the Hoffman Process. The Institute in the US offers scholarships and there are financing options in both Canada and the US. There is a fresh air of sincerity, open-hearted, and authentic realism in the Hoffman Institute staff and its teachers.
Unlike some programs of positive thinking or human potential peak performance, there is no hard sales tactics, no manipulation to take more courses, no fostering co-dependancy, no coercion in getting your friends to do courses, or any other uncomfortable tactics.
Hoffman is a a gentle, loving, cleansing, mind-body-soul techniques endorsed by some of the most prominant names in medicine and psychology today. There is a freedom of choice and a freedom to be, that in itself is a journey of gold!
This is a must read for those committed to self-growth and/or are Hoffman graduates.
Isn't it time to be free of unhealthy core issues rather than just successfully coping and palliating them?
Book Description
Represents Nietzsche's attempt to sum up his philosophy. In nine parts the book is designed to give the reader a comprehensive idea of Nietzche's thought and style. With an inclusive index of subjects and persons.
Customer Reviews:
A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power.......2007-05-01
This was required reading for a graduate course in the Humanities.
Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of a "will to power" is central to his philosophical beliefs, and a recurring theme in his book "Beyond Good and Evil." When Nietzsche was a budding philosopher, he admired and was influenced by the writings of another philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer. However, Schopenhauer, like most scientists and philosophers of his day, attributed the "will to live" as the highest motivational life force in nature. Nietzsche observed that the "will to live" was not life affirming enough and that humankind needed a higher power. Therefore, Nietzsche theorized that living beings were not just motivated by a survival instinct to live. He understood that beings had a higher need, which he called the "will to power." One can easily interpret Nietzsche's "will to power" as a method by which people strive to grow and nurture their creative energies, and interact with the world. Nietzsche thinks that "will to power" was coupled with humankind's innate nature and passion to create. Nietzsche thinks that this "will to power" was the true driving force of humankind. "A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power, self-preservation is only one of the indirect and most frequent results" (Nietzsche Aphorism 13). The "will to power" causes humans to dominate and impose their will on others. Thus for Nietzsche, humankind's "will to power" meant that life and will is the exploitation of others, and it has been since the beginning of time, immemorial (Nietzsche Aphorism 258). In fact, Nietzsche believed that one could take his concept of the "will to power" one-step further, and use it to explain the motivations of whole societies, and nation states, as well as the individual (Nietzsche aphorism 257, 259).
Nietzsche tends to be very passionate and absolutist in his aphorisms. He wrote so much that one could find plenty of instances in his works where he has contradicted himself. Nietzsche's concept of "will to power" is a philosophic thought, which led to many interpretations. To assume that Nietzsche thought that the primary instincts of the human being came down to violence and little else, amounts to a gross underestimation of Nietzsche's views of humankind. However, most of his writings on the concept of a "will to power," if interpreted as being violent, have to be understood more in vain with what he saw as the constant struggle of overcoming one's individual weaknesses (Nietzsche aphorism 22, 260). Nietzsche envisioned his "will to power" more along the lines of applying one's will in self-overcoming. Nietzsche's writings about violence are usually meant as violence against giving in to the herd or slave morality. The herd, as Nietzsche names it, is the vast majority of humans who throughout history have obeyed and followed the status quo. The herd has stymied human development with their slave morality (Nietzsche aphorism 198, 199). The slave morality invented the dichotomy of good and evil. "Moral judgments and condemnations constitute the favorite revenge of the spiritually limited against those less limited" (Nietzsche aphorism 219). The herd morality causes people to sublimate their creative drive. Thus, Nietzsche is imploring the few noble humans--the few geniuses to struggle against following the herd morality. Nietzsche wants the noble people to invent their own morality and values to live their lives by, and to fulfill their own "will to power" and not indulge in an effort to attract others to their values (Nietzsche aphorism 199, 201, 260).
Recommended reading for anyone interested in philosophy, history, and psychology.
Beyond Good & Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future.......2007-03-11
If you are in high school or college, you must read this. Friedrich Nietzsche is / was a man of deep thoughts, odd thoughts and yet they are as fitting today as they were them..... READ THIS, you will understand history of some things much better.
A Systematic Follow-Up to Zarathustra.......2007-02-16
If you were a little confused or put off by the poetic/fictional delivery in Zarathustra, this is the book for you. It sets out to say practically the same thing, but in a more literal sense.
To understand Nietzsche, I suggest starting with this and Zarathustra.
Enjoyable.......2007-01-12
Nietzsche looks at life and characterizes it without blinking. Not that his philosophy is particularily USEFUL; essentially, you have to come up with your own. He has no answers, poses no real questions, and simply posits that the man of the future will make his own answers to the questions that he finds.
Some parts of this are actually funny, such as his characterizations of the nations. Nobody comes off completely flattered, but the English get it worst!
My favorite part is probably the thoughtfully collected section of aphorisms. Nietzsche was a master of these, knew it, and served them up like some sumptuous dessert in the middle of a formal meal.
Needs a second reading... or second writing.......2006-12-26
I read this piece of work about 6 years ago. Maybe I rushed the process and read it like a novel - its not. 'Beyond...' is the summary of a trouble minded genius in what should be considered his most accessible form; unfortunately "accessible Nietzsche" may still be too much for 99.99 percent of the world.
Nietzsche is often adopted by young nihilistic men to help them find an explanation of the crazy world around them. To be honest I believe John Locke would be a better first step in to philosophy and a good counter to some of Nietzsche's ideas. In fact he shows signs of objectivism (a-la Ayn Rand) with statements such as "As long as you still experience the stars as something 'above you' you lack the eye of knowledge." Maybe this is out of context but I'm sure Ayn would have said the same thing. Funny, Ayn would probably hate such a comparison as she despised Fred's dogmatic or formulaic views of how man should be. For this Fred is equally a hypocrite for his criticism of the Catholic Church.
What I consider to be a fault of the English edition is the translator and his preface, he writes as though he is a member of some sort of Nietzsche Cult. Should a translator really tell the reader that what he is reading is "brilliant, unforgettable?" [p xv] I would honestly love to hear from an objective German on this point.
All said, Nietzsche IS required reading for anyone who sees value in developing some sort of intelligence... for that I guess I should do a second reading ;)
Book Description
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to get bitten by a zombie? To live through a bioweapon attack? To have every aspect of your life governed by invisible ants?
In Cory Doctorow's collection of novellas, he wields his formidable experience in technology and computing to give us mindbending sci-fi tales that explore the possibilities of information technology — and its various uses — run amok. "Anda's Game" is a spin on the bizarre new phenomenon of “cyber sweatshops,” in which people are paid very low wages to play online games all day in order to generate in-game wealth, which can be converted into actual money. Another tale tells of the heroic exploits of “sysadmins” — systems administrators — as they defend the cyber-world, and hence the world at large, from worms and bioweapons. And yes, there is a story about zombies, too.
Customer Reviews:
A mostly brain-boosting collection . . ........2007-07-11
Doctorow is one of the hottest young science fiction inventioneers of the past decade. He's done three novels, all of them groundbreaking in various ways, and one previous collection of short stories. The six stories in this volume all are treatments of extremely contemporary information technology (the author likes to say he specializes in "predicting the present"). "Anda's Game," which appeared in _Best American Short Stories,_ is about the real sweatshops that have recently appeared to serve the virtual gaming industry -- very weird stuff indeed. (I don't think even Gibson, much less Heinlein, could have imagined such a thing.) "When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth" is a paean to the people who guard the cyberverse -- and therefore the "real world" -- from Evil. "Printcrime" is a very short piece written for NATURE, about the hobnailed boot planted in the face of informational freedom. "After the Siege" is a much longer and rather chilling exploration of the same theme. (Doctorow has very strong opinions about the recent trend in strengthening copyright and patent law in the West to the detriment of the developing world.) "I, Robot," which was nominated for a Hugo, is both a riff on Asimov's classic Three Laws and an exploration of a weak point in the Good Doctor's work: The lack of market competition in robotics. "I, Row-Boat" (yes, indeed, Robby the Row-Boat) is the weakest piece in this volume, though even it's pretty good, exploring what happens after most humans have left the planet to live in outer virtual space (sort of) and the AIs left behind have to learn to cope.
On average - average.......2007-06-09
I'm not normally a reader of short story collections but I thought I'd give "Over Clocked" a try. On finishing it, I realized why I don't read short story collections.
The problem is, short story collections inevitably end up being like CD's. Sure, there's one, maybe two great tracks on it, a few mediocre tracks and then some that are positively awful. Over Clocked suffers the same malady.
One of the strongest stories is "When Sysadmins ruled the world." An interesting tale that describes how a technologically dependent world gets brought to its knees by rampant worms and viruses and how the system administrators (Sysadmins of the title) may be the only people skilled and tech-savvy enough to fight humanity's corner.
Equally enjoyable is "I robot." Winner of the 2005 Locus award and a finalist for the Hugo and British Science Fiction award in the same year. You'd expect for it to be a good read with those credentials.
Holding the middle ground for the book is "Anda's game" - which will no doubt be a favorite with the gaming readers - and provides a virtual backdrop for the rich minority vs depressed minority scenario to literally be played out once more.
"After the Siege," where the horrors of future war are exploited for entertainment value, also provides food for thought. Whilst Doctorow preface's the story by suggesting it's a commentary on developed nations using strong arm tactics on underdeveloped counterparts, one can't help but think that this story might not also be a poke in the eye to today's news media, given the current state of world affairs.
I enjoyed all of these stories but then that's where I ran into trouble. Perhaps in no other genre than speculative fiction does the phrase "Suspension of belief," come into its own. Every author asks you to suspend your belief and go along for the ride, and for the majority of Over Clocked I was prepared to do that. Rampant computer viruses I can do. Robots I can do. Future war and gang warfare on the net I'm prepared to go along with. With "I Row-Boat," Doctorow lost me.
Over Clocked's subtitle is "Stories of future present." Most of the stories seemed to be a reasonable extrapolation of science and technology today with a dark, dystopian slant, but I found sentient rowing boats conversing with coral reefs a little beyond what I was prepared to accept. As a result, I just couldn't get past the first five pages of "I Row-Boat."
Similarly, I found the very short, short story (2 pages) "Printcrime," equally hard to swallow.
Overall, I gave Over Clocked a 3 out of 5 rating. Of the six stories contained within, there are a couple of gems, a couple of easy reads and a couple that I would skip if I had a "Next Chapter" button.
Maybe that's a future present.
Doctorow doing what he does best........2007-05-16
I'm a Doctorow fan, and it should be no secret that some of the stories in "Overclocked" are available for free from his website craphound.com, as are his comments on the stories. I bought the book anyway, pleased to be able to do so. Doctorow brings to his stories the sensibilities (and outrage) of someone who sees both the potential and the problems of the ongoing tech / Internet revolution and extrapolates from current developments. His 'futures' can be grim [When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth, After the Siege], or hilarious [I, Row-boat] but if you read a newspaper (or a newsfeed) you won't wonder where the ideas came from. This is speculative fiction and good writing at one go, not the most common of occurrences.
Actually, pretty boring.......2007-04-08
This collection of short stories, one only around 5 pages, turned out to be unfortunately cliche and boring. All the other reviewers must be easily entertained, --no offense. I skipped over a couple of the more childish stories after getting halfway through them, and the title really says it all--stories about the present, essentially with a predictable 'future' twist. Good for insomniacs, it may cure them.
A quick and satisfying read.......2007-03-30
I really enjoyed this book, though I certainly enjoyed some of the stories more than others. Doctrow manages to incorportate many techie-related references into well-written stories in a manner that does not distract from the story itself.
Average customer rating:
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Present & Future Of Prevention: In Honor of George W. Albee (Primary Prevention of Psychopathology)
Marc, Ed. Kessler
Manufacturer: Sage Publications
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Book Description
A volume compiled by a group of noted psychologists, The Present and Future of Primary Prevention honors a pioneer and ground-breaker in the study of the psychology of prevention, George Albee. The contributors' writings reveal a strong appreciation and gratitude for Albee's efforts in this continually changing field and reflect the current status, the history of, and the state-of-the-art in the psychology of prevention. This book is concise, up-to-date, and highly valuable to researchers and practioners alike. Among the topics addressed are substance abuse prevention; stress reduction; cardivascular disease prevention; and the relationship between development, long-term prognosis, and the negative sypmtos of schizophrenia. The Present and Future of Primary Prevention will be of value to researchers, practitioners, and students in clinical psychology, community psychology, public health, mental health, psychology, social work, family studies, and sociology. "Many of the major concerns facing prevention, especially in mental health, are to be found here. The book will serve as a useful reference source." --Health Psychology Update
Books:
- The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids
- The Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing
- The Towers of Trebizond (New York Review Books Classics)
- The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists: Coping with the One-Way Relationship in Work, Love, and Family
- The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists: Coping with the One-Way Relationship in Work, Love, and Family
- The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves & Other Little People
- Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students (Design Briefs)
- To Weave a Web of Magic
- Trash: The Graphic Genius of Xploitation Movie Posters
- Twentieth-Century American Architecture: The Buildings and Their Makers
Books Index
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- Intermolecular and Surface Forces, Second Edition: With Applications to Colloidal and Biological Sys
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- Art and Photography: Forerunners and Influences
- Chinese Medicinal Herbs: A Modern Edition of a Classic Sixteenth-Century Manual
- Russian Emergency Services Directory
Practicing Greatness: 7 Disciplines of Extraordinary Spiritual Leaders (J-B Leadership Network Series)
The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21 Century Church
Revolution
Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens
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