The Open-Focus Brain

4 General Open-Focus Training

3 Head and Hands in Open Focus

2013 Nautilus Award Winner - Silver

Here’s a drug-free, side effect–free solution to common stress and mood problems—developed by two physicians. Millions of Americans suffer from mood problems and stress-related issues including anxiety, depression, insomnia, and trauma-induced emotions and behaviors; and most would prefer not to take medication for their conditions due to troublesome side effects, withdrawal symptoms, and disappointing success rates.

Drs. Richard P. Brown and Patricia L. Gerbarg provide a drug-free alternative that works through a range of simple breathing techniques drawn from yoga, Buddhist meditation, the Chinese practice of qigong, Orthodox Christian monks, and other sources. These methods have been scientifically shown to be effective in alleviating specific stress and mood challenges such as anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many others. The authors explain how breathing practices activate communication pathways between the mind and the body, positively impacting the brain and calming the stress response. The enclosed audio program guides readers through the techniques and helps make these breathing practices an ongoing part of daily life.

This book and CD set includes breathing techniques to relieve
anxiety and depression
trauma-related emotions and behaviors
post-traumatic stress disorder
insomnia
addiction-related behaviors

It also offers breathing techniques to enhance concentration, peak performance, and personal relationships.

The Healing Power Of The Breath

Total Breath 2

Body Scan

Total Breath

Coherent Breathing

The Awakening Body - Somatic Meditation for Discovering Our Deepest Life

Practice Three: Yin Breathing

Practice Two: Earth Descent and Earth Breathing

Practice One: Ten Points Practice

Dissolving Pain-Guided Exercises

Dissolving Pain with Open Focus

Sitting Still Like A Frog: Mindfulness Exercises For Kids (And Their Parents)

Exercise 11 - Sleep Tight

Written and read by Sharon Salzberg

Throughout our lives we long to love ourselves more deeply and find a greater sense of connection with others. Our fear of intimacy—both with others and with ourselves—creates feelings of pain and longing. But these feelings can also awaken in us the desire for freedom and the willingness to take up the spiritual path.

The practice of lovingkindness is revolutionary because it has the power to radically change our lives, helping us cultivate true happiness in ourselves and genuine compassion for others. The Buddha described the nature of such a spiritual path as “the liberation of the heart, which is love.” The author draws on simple Buddhist teachings, wisdom stories from various traditions, guided meditation practices, and her own experience from over thirty years of practice and teaching to illustrate how each one of us can cultivate love, compassion, joy, and equanimity—the four “heavenly abodes” of traditional Buddhism.

Lovingkindness audiobook sample

Ajahn Chah (1919–1992) was admired for the way he demystified the Buddhist teachings, presenting them in a remarkably simple and down-to-earth style for people of any background. He was a major influence and spiritual mentor for a generation of American Buddhist teachers, including Jon Kabat-Zinn, Sharon Salzberg, and Jack Kornfield.

Previous books by Ajahn Chah have consisted of collections of short teachings on a wide variety of subjects. This new book focuses on the theme of impermanence, offering powerful remedies for overcoming our deep-seated fear of change, including guidance on letting go of attachments, living in the present, and taking up the practice of meditation. Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away also contains stories and anecdotes about this beloved master's life and his interactions with students, from his youth as a struggling monk to his last years when American students were coming to study with him in significant numbers. These stories help to convey Ajahn Chah's unique spirit and teaching style, allowing readers to know him both through his words and the way in which he lived his life.

Everything Arises Everything Falls Away audiobook sample

From integral philosopher Ken Wilber, a practical guide to finding a radical and complete Wholeness through a path that blends integral theory, psychology, spiritual practice, and shadow work.

According to Ken Wilber, the perpetual human search for growth and fulfillment is often incomplete. In this book, Wilber integrates the wisdom of spirituality, psychology, shadow work, science, and integral theory to offer us a path to a radical and complete Wholeness of Waking Up, Growing Up, Opening Up, Cleaning Up, and Showing Up. Wilber shows readers how to apply integral theory to their everyday lives for transformation. For example, he shows how the theory of the Four Quadrants—the four perspectives through which we view the world—relates to our lives and allows us to show up and be more present. He also discusses how to evolve our multiple intelligences, how to increase our spiritual awareness, how to process what’s hidden in the depths of our consciousness, and how to enhance, deepen, and widen the feelings of bliss and love. Wilber introduces several practices—on topics such as the Witness, One Taste, and shadow work—to lead us to direct experiences that we can integrate into our lives. In this way, we truly understand Wholeness and can make room for everything life brings our way.

No other path of growth includes these five categories—each of which is a unique path to wholeness. By combining them and integrating them, one comes to a realization of what Wilber calls Big Wholeness—a completeness in which everything in our experience comes together to pull us into this deep meaning, where we feel in touch not only with all of the important aspects of ourselves but also with everything in our world.

Running time: 17 hours, 16 minutes

Finding Radical Wholeness audiobook sample

Wisdom and encouragement from mindfulness, psychology, science, and time-honored traditions.

Featuring 50 practical tools to ease anxiety, overwhelm, and stress by recognizing the enduring sense of love and well-being that’s with us regardless of our circumstances.

Kaiser Greenland draws from science, psychology, Buddhism, wisdom traditions, and personal stories to give us a view of “real-world enlightenment”—where we shift from a narrow survival-driven frame of mind to one that is grounded and as vast as the sky. When we cultivate this expansive worldview from the inside out, we become more resilient, and that’s just the beginning. A view as vast as the sky charts the course for kind, resilient people to build a kinder and more resilient world.To help us do this, she offers valuable methods and takeaways that allow you to apply these life-changing universal themes every day.

Running time: 7 hours, 16 minutes

Real-World Enlightenment audiobook sample

A Tibetan Buddhist nun offers her insights on anger, the ways that it manifests in our lives, and the ways that we can skillfully work to transform it, in this inspiring and humble guidebook.

Anger plagues all of us on many levels and can be a formidable emotion to overcome. Yet, we see people, such as the Dalai Lama, who have faced circumstances far worse than many of us have faced—including exile, persecution, and the loss of many loved ones—but do not burn with rage or seek revenge. Using the teachings and advice presented by beloved Buddhist teacher Thubten Chodron, anyone can learn to calm their emotions, sit with and understand their anger, and peacefully move toward resolution and peace.

Working with Anger presents a variety of Buddhist methods for subduing and preventing anger—not by changing what is happening but by framing our feelings and circumstances anew. As Chodron writes, we each long for harmony—in our hearts, relationships, and societies—and this book can help all of us to accomplish just that.

Running time: 5 hours, 1 minute

Working With Anger audiobook sample

Available 9/24/2024

Explore powerful tools and insights on how to find and work with the assisting forces in your life

David Richo draws from history, Jungian psychology, Buddhism, nature, and other spiritual traditions to illuminate our connection to the “helpers” we can call upon to navigate life. Some of the assisting forces in our lives are visible, and some are invisible. Some are with us for life; some come and go. Spiritual assisting forces could be bodhisattvas and saints—or partners in a relationship who are allies to one another.

In this fascinating inquiry, Richo posits that the archetype of the ally is necessary if we want to connect with the richness of our lives. He shows us how assisting forces are in and around us, and how we can be one to others. Richo offers a compelling and accessible view—and time-tested practices including meditation, self-inquiry, journaling, and affirmations—that help us recognize and access the allies in our lives.

Running time: 6 hours, 58 minutes

By Your Side audiobook sample

Pause, find connection, and choose peace rather than harm when you feel overwhelmed in the crashing ocean of life.

You are the calm of the ocean, not the pounding wave. The tumultuous, confusing, and unbearable feelings that arise in life will never overtake your true essence and the peace you can find below the surface.

Written as a love letter to those in pain, Wait encourages us to seek out a path to peace and freedom from suffering. Cuong Lu, a long-time disciple of Thich Nhat Hanh, personally witnessed a shooting while fleeing Vietnam in 1975. The memory of this trauma prompted him to dedicate his life to sharing the wisdom of deep listening, finding understanding, and in his words, "defusing the bombs in our hearts." We have waited long enough for the violence to stop. Now is the time to help turn the tide, interrupt the cycle of violence, and create a world where love and understanding thrive.

Running time: 2 hours, 28 minutes

No Beginning, No End: An Excerpt from Wait by Cuong Lu

A piercing examination of our current social and political situation through the lens of Integral Theory—by the framework’s founder, cutting-edge philosopher Ken Wilber.

Our overwhelmingly divisive socio-political climate is among the greatest challenges of our time. Not only in America but also internationally, it seems that almost every issue raises incredibly vocal oppositional views. Not least of all, the arising of vast networks of disinformation is a testament to our deepening rifts. With so much hostility, antagonism, cynicism, and discord, how can we mend the ruptures in our society?

Acclaimed philosopher Ken Wilber examines our polarization through the lens of Integral Theory to show what led to these fractures, both in America and around the world—as well as what is needed for humanity to move forward. In his provocative analysis, he explores how the arising of support for antagonistic authoritarians represents a backlash against the failure of those at the leading edge of consciousness (postmodernism and pluralism) to acknowledge the challenges that persist amidst our imagined progress: that, to date, society has been not proven to be equal, and liberty and justice have not been consistent for all. But a new Integral force is emerging that can move beyond the narcissism, nihilism, and cynicism to offer genuine leadership and move us all toward greater wholeness. All of us can be part of the movement, and here Ken Wilber shows us how.

A Post Truth World audiobook sample

In today’s complex world, how is it possible to truly live as a yogi? Traditional yoga theory offers fresh, insightful solutions to today’s practical lifestyle concerns, ranging from environmentalism to personal health and wellness. Tuning into classic yoga philosophy and teachings can bring to light our greatest strengths while showing us how to maintain a healthy body and clear mind while attaining inner happiness. Drawing from his personal experiences of yoga and insight into ancient Sanskrit texts, Dr. Shankaranarayana Jois connects yogic philosophy to how we approach food, work, education, relationships, and other conscious lifestyle choices to support our deepest longings for happiness, peace, and balance. Practical and insightful, The Sacred Tradition of Yoga begins with a clear and deep inquiry into the human condition, reminding us of true purpose of Yoga. The second half of the book focuses on the yamas and niyamas, the personal disciplines and social ethics of yoga. Throughout, Dr. Jois’ teachings honor ancient traditions and underscore the benefits we can gain from adopting a yogic way of life in the modern world.

The Sacred Tradition Of Yoga audiobook sample

LamRim Guided Meditations

F5 The Disadvantages of Self Centeredness

These are the audio excercises to accompany the book Sitting Still Life a Frog by Eline Snel from Shambhala Publications, available here:
https://www.shambhala.com/sitting-still-like-a-frog-2968.html

Exercise 6 - First Aid for Unpleasant Feelings

Exercise 4 - The Spaghetti Test

Exercise 2 -  The Little Frog

Exercise 1 - Sitting Still Like a Frog

A5. Dedication

A4. Recitations

A3. Breathing Meditation

A2. Meditation on the Buddha

The Mindfulness Prescription for ADHD

Mindful Breathing

Introduction

Somatic Descent

Guided Practice I-B (Earth Descent)

Guided Practice I-A (Ten Points)

Practice Six: Into the Void

Practice Five: Healing Moon Nectar

Practice Four: Altar of the Heart

Practice Three: Essential Activation

Practice Two: Waves of AUM

Practice One: Grounding Deep Relaxation

Shambhala Publications' podcasts and audiobook excerpts.  Visit Shambhala.com for more books, articles, videos, news, courses, events, and more.

Shambhala Publications

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