Judith Cannon, PhD, LMFT

Healing, Growth, Creativity Enriching

Our Lives, Our Relationships, Our World

Recommended Reading on

Tools for the Journey

 

The Hidden Messages in Water By

Masaru Emoto

The pictures and text in this short book are amazing. Japanese researcher Dr. Emoto developed the technology to photograph water crystals. His research examines the differences in crystals formed when water is exposed to various words, thoughts, feelings, music, prayer, chemicals, pollution and more.

 

He has discovered that molecules of water are affected by all these variables. His photographs prove that thoughts and feelings do affect physical reality. Dr. Emoto’s research demonstrates the power of words and the healing power of love and gratitude. 

 

Humans are approximately 70% water. His research makes clear the impact of words, thoughts and feelings on our body and our health.

 

The earth is composed mostly of water. Dr. Emoto’s research gives of the wisdom need to create peace and heal our planet.

 

The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

Loehr and Schwartz teach us about managing our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy in order to increase success in our work and our personal lives. This book is both practical and inspiring, discussing every thing from breathing and eating to defining life purpose. It helps us to understand and manage our energy so that we can use it in service of what matters to us. The book includes worksheets for the “Corporate Athlete” training program. The focus is on increasing our ability to handle life and the stresses it brings. This book will help you meet those goals you have set for yourself this year. Or, if you are feeling too lost to even set goals, it will help you find meaning and purpose and energy to pursue what you desire in life.

 

Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes by William Bridges. There are so many changes in our lives that we sometimes minimize the impact, especially if these are changes we have chosen. Other times, most likely when change has been thrust upon us, we get fearful, mired down and lost. Bridges’ book provides us a map of the transition process. He addresses the ending (which is part of any transition), the middle period of confusion and distress, and the new beginning. He provides concepts and practical advice that can help us be more conscious and choiceful as we move through the changes in our lives. He gives understanding about the impact transitions have on our identity—how we think about ourselves. This book may be especially meaningful to you if you are currently going through a significant transition.

 

The Way of Transition: Embracing Life’s Most Difficult Moments

by William Bridges. Bridges’ book Transitions (see the review below) was written 20 years ago. The Way of Transition shares what he has learned in the intervening years and through the death of his beloved wife. The book is beautifully written, emotionally touching and genuinely helpful. If you are going through a transition this book can be a guide and a blessing.

 

The Energy of Money: A Spiritual Guide to Financial and Personal Fulfillment by Maria Nemeth, Ph.D. Nemeth’s compassionate and empowering book is filled with both practical exercises and philosophical insights. She sees money as a potent form of energy. She shows how our interactions with money are similar to our interactions with other energies in our lives. You may find this book helpful if you are interested in understanding your relationship with money and making changes in your financial life.

 

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins (author of Built to Last). This book is based on extensive research and gives clear principles that can move a company from mediocre to great. Some of the ideas are also excellent to apply to making our lives and our families great. I will share two. The Stockdale Paradox shows that to be great you must confront the most brutal facts of your current reality AND, at the same time, you must retain faith that you will prevail in the end. The second idea I found helpful was what Collins called the Flywheel Principle. His research demonstrated that in companies that became great there was no single defining action, no grand program, no one killer innovation, no solitary lucky break, no miracle moment. Rather, the process of becoming great resembled pushing a giant heavy flywheel in one direction, turn upon turn, building momentum until a point of breakthrough and beyond.

Recommended Reading on Tools for the Journey