The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything

by Stephen M.R. Covey

Staff Recommendation

A groundbreaking and paradigm shifting book, The Speed of Trust challenges our age old assumption that trust is merely a soft, social virtue and instead demonstrates that trust is a hard edged, economic driver a learnable and measurable skill that makes organizations more profitable, people more promotable, and relationships more energizing.

Qigong in Psychotherapy

You can do so much by doing so little.

A student of Master Chunyi Lin and Spring Forest Qigong since 1995, psychologist and qigong teacher Patrick Dougherty shows the reader simple, powerful ways to integrate elements of Taoist philosophy and Chinese medicine into Western mental health practices. From teaching simple mind/body techniques, such as focused breathing and imagery, to explaining how the energetic world we live in affects our emotional and psychological health, Dougherty shows us how to quickly and easily enhance our well being. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this book is its emphasis on our fundamental interconnectedness, and how following the practices in this book can lead to a more open-hearted engagement with the world.

The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief

by Gregg Braden

Staff Recommendation

Book Description
Between 1993 and 2000, a series of groundbreaking experiments revealed dramatic evidence of a web of energy that connects everything in our lives and our world—the Divine Matrix. From the healing of our bodies, to the success of our careers, relationships, and the peace between nations, this new evidence demonstrates that we each hold the power to speak directly to the force that links all of creation. What would it mean to discover that the power to create joy, to heal suffering, and bring peace to nations lives inside of you? How differently would you live if you knew how to use this power each day of your life? Join Gregg Braden on this extraordinary journey bridging science, spirituality and miracles through the language of The Divine Matrix.

Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust

by Immaculee Ilibagiza

Staff Recomendation

You may have seen this incredible story
highlighted on one of the major television networks.

Miraculously, a brave and remarkable woman - Immaculée Ilibagiza - survived the slaughter by finding shelter in the confines of a small bathroom, where she remained for 91 days with 7 other women.

By the grace of God, Immaculée was left to tell her triumphant story about faith, forgiveness, and endurance during one of modern time's most horrific events.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Immaculée's book Left to Tell will be donated to the Left to Tell Charitable Fund. Remembering the many orphaned children left behind from the Rwandan tragedy, Immaculée recently established this fund to help the children of Africa build new lives.

Success Built to Last: Creating a Life that Matters

By Jerry Porras

This fascinating book clearly shows that creating a life that matters is not a pipe-dream. It will show you little-known—but very doable—ways of thinking and acting that will allow you to create a successful and fulfilling life.

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time

By Keith Ferrazzi

Recommended by Pete Bissonette

If you want to be more successful, build your own network. It doesn't matter whether you are running for president of the local PTA or president of the USA, the stronger your network the more stunning the results you'll experience in life. I highly recommend Keith's book.

Totally Fulfilled: More Money, More Freedom, More Smiles, Less Stress

By Dean Graziosi

Staff Recommendation

In an easy-to-understand and an easy-to-apply format, Dean Graziosi wrote a wonderful book to achieve “more money, more freedom, more smiles, and less stress.” With simple techniques Dean learned through trial and error, he takes the reader on an exciting journey to wealth, abundance, happiness, accomplishments, confidence, love, prosperity, and so much more.

The Biology Of Belief: Unleashing The Power Of Consciousness, Matter And Miracles

By Bruce H. Lipton

Recommended by Pete Bissonette

The Biology of Belief is a groundbreaking work in the field of New Biology. Author Dr. Bruce Lipton is a former medical school professor and research scientist. His experiments, and those of other leading-edge scientists, have examined in great detail the processes by which cells receive information. The implications of this research radically change our understanding of life. It shows that genes and DNA do not control our biology; that instead DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell, including the energetic messages emanating from our positive and negative thoughts.

Dr. Lipton's profoundly hopeful synthesis of the latest and best research in cell biology and quantum physics is being hailed as a major breakthrough showing that our bodies can be changed as we retrain our thinking.

If you’re fascinated with our programs, especially Spring Forest Qigong, you will find the book a refreshing affirmation of the work you do with us. Get it.

The Grace of Ordinary Days

By Kay Saunders and Bernie Saunders

Staff Recommendation

Bernie Sanders has not only been a friend and colleague of many years, but also the co-author of Learning Strategies' Boundless Renewal course. His latest project: "The Grace of Ordinary Days," incorporates more of the same heart-stirring photos, unfolding for us the wisdom between mother and son.

"The Grace of Ordinary Days is a rare glimpse into the lives of a mother and son, Kay and Bernie Saunders. The book combines their art of poetry and photography, but more important, unites the art of their sixty-year relationship. Together they discover that it is never too late to have a courageous conversation, and in doing so, find unsaid love, understanding, and forgiveness. The beauty and riches found in this book at the culmination of their truth."

Source Book for Creative Problem Solving: A Fifty Year Digest of Proven Innovation Processes

By Dr. Sidney J. Parnes

Recommended by Win Wenger

A monumental work, and absolute must for any serious student or practitioner of creativity. For more than fifty years, arguments and issues have flowed through the pages of the peer journal, the Journal of Creative Behavior. The person who has sorted this all out and made it an intelligible package is none other than the Parnes side of the Osborn-Parnes CPS (Creative Problem-Solving) Method which launched the world-wide creativity revolution more than a half-century ago. This entire while, Sid Parnes has remained at the very top of his field, has lived his creative practices, and continues to work at the forefront of the creativity movement.

What's Food Got to Do With It?: 101 Natural Remedies for Learning Disabilities

By Pat Wyman

Staff Recommendation

Could your child's learning disability really be a food allergy or sensitivity in disguise?

Can certain foods that your child eats, cause his or her grades to go down?

The latest medical research on the connection between nutrition and learning says YES!

If you are searching for alternatives to drug therapies or want to help your child or student learn more easily and naturally, this new book contains 101 natural, specific ways you can remedy all kinds of learning disabilities. Dr. Sandra Hills and Pat Wyman discuss remedies for children with special learning needs like ADD, ADHD, dyslexia or reading problems, sequencing/memory problems, and emotional or other behavioral problems.

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.

By Mihaly Csikszemtmihlyi

Recommended by Win Wenger

"For more than two decades Mihaly Csikszemtmihlyi has been studying states of "optimal experience" –those times when people repost feelings of concentration and deep enjoyment. These investigations have revealed that what makes experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow–a state of concentration so focused that it amounts to absolute absorption in an activity...Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience reveals how this pleasurable state can, in fact, be controlled, and not just left to chance, by setting ourselves challenges–tasks that are neither too difficult nor too simple for our abilities. With such goals, we learn to order the information the enters consciousness and thereby improve the quality of our lives." -From back cover

The Resiliency Advantage

By Al Siebert, PhD

Recommended by Paul Scheele

Psychologist and presenter Al Siebert, PhD, recently published his newest book titled, The Resiliency Advantage: Master Change, Thrive Under Pressure, and Bounce Back From Setbacks. His first book, the bestselling The Survivor Personality, introduced his model for mental health and featured “resiliency” as a core human skill.

I’ve been a fan of Al’s since the mid 1980s and privileged to have worked with him to publish the audio personal learning course, “Resiliency: The Power to Bouce Back.” It is clear to me that the personality trait of being highly resilient to disruptive change couldn’t possibly be more timely in this age of so much worldly turmoil.

Dr. Siebert does a lovely job of presenting how to develop five levels of resiliency skills. He illustrates all his points with clear, relevant examples. A major bonus comes through his rich history of 30 years working with clients and documenting their experiences. The pages are alive with energy that will give an immediate advantage to any reader.

Copyrighted in 2005 by Al Siebert, PhD. Published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. San Francisco, CA.

The Hidden Messages in Water

"Understanding the fact that we are essentially water is the key to uncovering the mysteries of the universe..."

By Masaru Emoto

Staff Recommendation

Dr. Emoto’s amazing photos show the impact of human thoughts and feelings on water, and support the core of what Learning Strategies and Spring Forest Qigong teaches from a scientific perspective.

The Success Principles

by Jack Canfield

recommended by Paul Scheele

This is a brand new success classic by a good friend and a phenomenal writer: Jack Canfield, famous for his Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He has already greatly impacted the soul of the world, and he is doing it again.

No matter where you are with your life, The Success Principles gives you proven strategies and time-tested systems to create a brighter future. I recommend it unconditionally. Every page has something useful, and I'm sure you'll end up buying copies for friends.

Magic Eye Beyond 3D: Improve Your Vision

Reduce Computer Eye Strain, Stress, & More

By Magic Eye Inc. & Marc Grossman, O.D., L.Ac.

Staff Recommendation

Since the 1990s, Magic Eye books have sold millions of copies, and now creators of have developed another magical book. Magic Eye Beyond 3D looks at the medical benefits and scientific explanations of viewing these 3D images. Beyond 3D goes beyond to reach a wider audience with explanations of its fascinating possibilities. It’s more than improving your vision. Viewing Magic Eye images can boost your brain activity.

Be sure to check out the section on “Accelerated Learning & Fast Reading” that discusses PhotoReading, and how using Magic Eye and PhotoReading can turbocharge your reading!

The Future of the Body:

Explorations into the Further Evolution of Human Nature

By Michael Murphy

Recommended by Paul Scheele

Michael Murphy is co-founder and Chairman of Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. For thirty years he has been a potent force in the human potential movement. In his book he provides a massive tome of impressive evidence for the extraordinary powers of the human mind/body. Murphy beautifully catalogs “metanormal capacities,” offering rich scientific support for our transformative abilities. He cites studies in biofeedback, psychotherapy, sports, martial arts, religion, meditation, spiritual healing, and more.

I've always loved telling tales of amazing human potentials and offering strategies on how to achieve them, so this book is a real treat for me. Anyone interested in developing human potential and justifying their efforts to skeptical loved ones, should read and reference this book. Murphy offers straightforward explanations on the bases and elements of transformative practices. Then, to top it all off, he gives us a complete set of "integral practices" to discover our own higher powers.

The Solutions Focus:

The SIMPLE Way to Positive Change

By Paul Z. Jackson and Mark McKergow

Staff Recommendation

The idea really is simple: identify what works and do more of it, and stop doing what does not work and do something different. By taking a solution-focused approach to problems instead of focusing on the problem, you move toward your desired future and toward the solution. In essence, there are no problems. Analyzing, talking about, and reacting to problems, is the worst way to solve them! Realize that every “problem” is different and therefore each requires a unique approach to changing it. Once you do, you take your power back. Use the SIMPLE approach in your organization, office team, and any area of your personal life.

Unlimited Futures:

How to Understand the Life You Have and Create the Life You Want

By Bobbie R. Stevens, Ph.D.

Staff Recommendation

With this book, let Bobbie Stevens be your personal consultant to create whatever you want: optimal health, an ideal partner, to understand the meaning of life... Because our self-defeating habits and our negative thoughts and beliefs often get in the way of what we want, we need to change the way we think about beliefs. And, about self-improvement. Beliefs are only information we have accepted. Bobbie Stevens shows how she created relationships, found herself a mate, how she created business success, and a lifestyle she truly enjoys. She shares step-by-step guidelines, which are practical and powerful, teaching what it means to become self-actualized, ultimately discovering the ability within to fulfill our needs and desires.

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

By Eckhart Tolle

Staff Recommendation

One of our biggest problems is our constant need to analyze; we think about our past and the future, all of our problems and our pain. What if a problem is just an illusion, a label we allow our minds to attach to a certain situation? What if instead of thinking about what might happen, we let go of time and notice only what is going on in the present moment? The author believes that we would attain enlightenment. The idea appeared suddenly for him when he awoke one night, and though the realization may not come to us this way, his message is simple and inspiring. Even while doing our meditations, practicing yoga or relaxation exercises, we are constantly looking for peace, but we find true happiness when we stop searching for it, because happiness is now.

Thresholds of the Mind

Your Personal Roadmap to Success, Happiness, and Contentment

By Bill Harris

Staff Recommendation

His belief is clear: no one has to suffer or lead a life of unhappiness. You can live the life you want. Bill Harris has helped thousands to create life-lasting change through Centerpointe Research Institute and the remarkable Holosync audio technology. Learn how so many people have found mental, emotional, and spiritual growth with this program. The key is starting from the inside, using an audio program that can produce for your mind a relaxed and meditative state. Bill Harris understands how the minds works, why meditation works, and explains how the profound effects of Holosync have helped him and others achieve success and happiness.

The Sedona Method

Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-being

By Hale Dwoskin

Recommended by Pete Bissonette

The Sedona Method is finally available in book form! Since the 1970s personal friends have raved about the emotionally freeing results they've received from doing the Sedona Method. And then, since the 1990s when Hale Dwoskin began offering classes in the Sedona Method, clients of Learning Strategies began telling us about their successes--so much so that we asked Hale to do a special program as part of our Euphoria Personal Learning Course. The Sedona Method teaches a simple way to be free from any emotion that may be barring your success. In the book Hale tells you how to use the method systematically on any challenge you have in your life, whether in learning, career, relationships, or health.

Loving What Is : Four Questions that Can Change Your Life

By Byron Katie

Recommended by Paul Scheele

Byron Katie (a woman who goes by the name Katie) reveals the details and use of her amazing process known simply as "The Work." I first encountered Katie in a weekend workshop at Omega Institute in upstate New York three years ago. Her long awaited book is much better than I had anticipated. Along with her husband and previously published co-author Stephen Mitchell, Katie has crafted a beautiful description of her powerful human development breakthrough.

The book contains more than clear instructions for how to bring The Work alive in your own life. You also see it in action with transcripts of live stage-sessions with Katie. Each session seems more astounding than the next. Be forewarned; Loving What Is is not about self-improvement, but about finding the truth. I believe you will find, as I have, that "...the truth will set you free."

Accelerated Learning for the 21st Century

The Six-Step Plan to Unlock Your Master-Mind

By Colin Rose and Malcolm J. Nicholl

Staff Recommendation

For anyone who wants to remember more, learn faster, think more creatively, and increase your ability to retain even the most difficult material, this book will have an impact. Accelerated Learning is practical and insightful, and based on the latest scientific research. Colin Rose explains how you can increase your intuition, solve problems, and discover your own personal learning style, a key to learning that is often missing in traditional education. Learn how the brain functions so that you can tap into your natural skills, talents, and intelligence. Especially valuable for students, teachers, and parents.

The Mind Map Book

How to Use Radiant Thinking to Maximize Your Brain's Untapped Potential

By Tony Buzan with Barry Buzan

Staff Recommendation

Familiar to most PhotoReaders, The Mind Map book is worth mentioning. One of the most effective activation techniques, Tony Buzan's Mind Mapping is a groundbreaking technique. The Mind Mapping book shows you how to create your own Mind Maps to involve your whole brain in learning. The genius in Mind Mapping is that it mirrors the way your brain naturally perceives, categorizes, and creates associations for learning. Learn how to take notes the right way for increased comprehension and recall. Organize your ideas, effectively prepare a speech, report, presentation, or lecture. Mind Mapping is for students, PhotoReaders, teachers, everyone!

Brain Gym

Simple Activities for Whole Brain Learning

by Dr. Paul E. Dennison and Gail E. Dennison

Staff Recommendation

An absolute favorite of some of our PhotoReading instructors, Brain Gym is full of easy and enjoyable physical activities that enhance learning. Everyone should experience these special activities that bring about dramatic improvements in reading, writing, memory, concentration, physical coordination...and more. Brain Gym activities are unique and fun! For children and adults. The exercises integrate the mind and body, accelerate learning, and develop the brain's neural pathways, all through movement.

The idea of Educational Kinesiology was created by Dr. Paul E. Dennison and Gail E. Dennison through their extensive research in education, psychology, functions of the brain and applied kinesiology. Brain Gym has been taught in thousands of public and private schools worldwide.

And when you experience rapid results with Brain Gym, check out another PhotoReading instructor top pick, Brain Gym, Teacher’s Edition.

Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century

By Howard Gardner

Staff Recommendation

Whether you are familiar with his Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Howard Gardner will update you on the evolution of his theory; that rather than a single characteristic, intelligence has various components and is not easily tested without considering these distinct, multiple qualities of the mind. Presented initially in his 1983 book, Frames of Mind, Gardner follows how the theory has, and has not, been integrated into culture, education, and our perceptions of intelligence and IQ. He presents an overview of the theory and examines the myths that surround it. Gardner also proposes an additional intelligence to the original seven. He considers for example, moral, spiritual, existential, and naturalist factors, while he questions the common practice of one way to teach/one way to learn. For anyone interested in genuine learning and teaching, Intelligence Reframed is an eye-opener.

The Survivor Personality

...Why Some People Are Stronger, Smarter, and More Skillful at Handling Life's Difficulties...and How You Can Be, Too

By Al Siebert, Ph.D.

Staff Recommendation

Al Siebert reveals why some people survive, even thrive, in difficult situations and other people do not. What qualities do certain people have that make them able to bounce back from adversity? From his years of research, Al Siebert gives valuable insight into the characteristics and habits that help human beings overcome life’s tragic situations. He shares personal stories of true survivors so that we can learn how to become more resilient. We can be prepared for difficult experiences and even look forward to change, making us stronger instead of feeling overwhelmed. Ultimately, we can learn to turn any tragedy into something positive, for a happier and more promising future.

Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature

Edited by Connie Zweig and Jeremiah Abrams

Recommended by Paul R. Scheele

An associate put me in touch with Jeremiah Abrams, the co-editor and contributing author of Meeting The Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature. After a lively phone conversation, I retrieved his book from my shelf and remembered the many excellent writings contained within it.

This book has long been on my "most recommended" list for those interested in learning more about the shadow side of personality. But now I know it is a must-read for anyone involved with personal development (either on their own or helping others).

We all pay a price for neglecting areas of our psyche that we would rather deny. Read the book and find out how to gain the riches of your mind, improve your psychological strength, and understand why people behave as they do.

Meeting The Shadow is filled with well-written and easily digested contributions from the most knowledgeable authors in the field of shadow-work. Although the subject is both deep and broad, the book covers it with remarkable thoroughness.

The Einstein Factor

By Win Wenger

Staff Recommendation

New research suggests that the superior achievements of famous thinkers may have been more the result of mental conditioning than genetic superiority. Now you can learn to condition your mind in the same way and improve your performance in virtually all aspects of mental ability, including memory, quickness, IQ, and learning capacity.

Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Feelings

By Lynn Grabhorn

Staff Recommendation

The law of attraction puts whatever you think about into your life, so you have to be careful what you put in your mind and how you feel about it. The distinction between negative wants (I don't want to be poor) and positive wants (I want enough money to do what I want in life) is difficult for most people, but the author makes it abundantly clear with great personal examples and a lot of enthusiasm. We can choose how we frame things and thus control the vibrations we send out to the world. Her strong emotions will be too much for some listeners, but she's genuine, and the ideas will grab you no matter how you feel about the reading.